NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg believes that Russian troops are not capable of “significant breakthroughs” on the battlefield in Ukraine, while Kyiv is inflicting significant defeats on Russia by strikes deep into its territory.
Stoltenberg said this during an interview with AFP on Thursday 27 June.
The NATO-chief noted that Russia launched another offensive in Ukraine during the spring-summer “but so far with only marginal success.”
“And we have no other indication or reason to believe that Russia has the capabilities, the strength to make significant breakthroughs,” he added.
The secretary general, however, cautioned that Russia is likely to “continue to advance along the front lines” and conduct airstrikes in Ukraine.
“But we see that the Ukrainians have been able to hold the front line. They were able to continue to inflict heavy losses on Russian forces – both along the front line and by strikes deep into Russian territory,” Stoltenberg said.
Russia launched a new offensive in May in the northern Kharkiv Oblast and also increased pressure in eastern Ukraine, taking advantage of delays in the delivery of Western weapons to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
To counter Russian offensive operations in the north of Ukraine, Western countries have authorized Kyiv to strike Russian positions across the border in the Kharkiv and Sumy Oblasts.
Read more:
- WSJ: Russia seeks to make life in Kharkiv impossible
- British intelligence: Russia has not achieved Putin’s goals in Kharkiv Oblast
- UK Intelligence: Number of Russian losses in May 2024 is highest reported since start of war
- ISW: Russian forces prepare for second phase of offensive in Kharkiv Oblast, reinforcements arriving
- Ukraine controls 70% of Vovchansk City, street fighting continues, military says
- Russia launched 1,000 strikes against Ukraine in the past week