Milley Asserts Ukraine Counteroffensive is ‘Not a Failure’

According to Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley, the Ukrainian counteroffensive, while slower than expected, should not be considered a failure. He explained that Ukrainian forces are intentionally holding back their best soldiers to preserve their combat power. Additionally, the counteroffensive has been impeded by the need to clear Russian-set mines, making progress difficult and dangerous.

Milley emphasized that this is a challenging and bloody war, fought by real people in real machines. He pointed out that units naturally slow down when faced with the reality of casualties and the need to survive. Prior to the counteroffensive, Russian troops had ample time to fortify their positions with minefields, barbed wire, and trenches.

However, the recent failed coup by Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has thrown Russia’s military command structure into disarray. Wagner Group troops had played a significant role in Russia’s operations in Ukraine. Now, with these soldiers apparently surrendering their weapons to Moscow, the new command structure has become confusing and challenging to navigate.

Milley noted that morale among Russian forces is low, and they have suffered significant officer casualties. On a positive note, Ukraine may receive support in the form of increased ammunition production from the Ukraine Defense Contact Group, which held a virtual meeting and discussed ramping up ammunition production at both the national and multinational level through the European Union’s initiative.

However, meeting Ukraine’s long-term ammunition needs may be a struggle for the West as the counteroffensive is expected to last longer than initially anticipated. Following the virtual meeting, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov expressed gratitude for the unwavering support shown towards Ukraine.