The dialectical theory of war, articulated by Carl von Clausewitz, postulates that wars only come to an end when the center of gravity belonging to one of the opposing factions is shaken.
As detailed by General Jacques Langlade de Mongros, commander of military intelligence: [DRM]a substantive Congressional hearing in July revealed that the Kremlin’s seat of power is likely the core of Russia.
“If Russia disbands, we will certainly observe a rapid and sharp decline in the Russian military establishment.” In the wake of the rebellion by the once-independent Wagner militia, he speculated: The group has been placed under the protection of the Russian Ministry of Defense following the tragic deaths of its main leaders, Yevgeny Prigozhin and Dmitry Utkin, in a catastrophic plane crash.
center of gravity of ukraine
General Langlade de Mongro said that the unity of the Western alliance with common goals and objectives is crucial for Ukraine’s stability. In the general’s words, “If support for the alliance becomes contradictory or controversial among certain countries, it is certain to complicate the situation for Ukraine in the near future and jeopardize its prospects of achieving its desired goals.”
Unfortunately, this complex scenario is exactly what Ukraine is currently dealing with. But surprisingly, despite these challenges, some major European powers, such as the UK, France, and Germany, remain steadfast in their support for the Ukrainian military despite all adversity.
Additionally, Ukraine is actively building capability alliances within the Defense Liaison Group. The European Commission and NATO are promoting initiatives aimed at supplying the Ukrainian military with vital resources, especially artillery. However, these efforts seem slow to materialize. On February 1, the 27 member states of the European Union are awaiting a key decision on whether to agree to the creation of a 50 billion euro special fund earmarked for Kiev. It is unclear how feasible this proposal is given the current situation.
America has run out of money
Across the seas, the United States has hit the limits of the funds previously available for military aid to Ukraine. But a sizeable $61 billion is on the table.
The allocation proposal still awaits parliamentary approval. Given that this is an election year, neither Republicans nor Democrats seem willing to concede. The White House recently released a petition asking senators to find common ground.
As a harsh winter gives way to an impending spring, Ukrainians are bracing for difficult times ahead. Meanwhile, Russia appears to be persistent in its drone and missile attacks, National Security Council spokesman John Kirby warned.
supply issues
Currently, the United States does not meet Ukraine’s needs in terms of weapons and ammunition systems. Additionally, we are unable to provide critical operational maintenance. [MCO] Required for maintenance of previously supplied equipment. This includes critical military assets such as the M142 HIMARS multiple rocket launcher, Patriot air defenses, Bradley armored vehicles, and Abrams tanks.
It is important to emphasize that equipment supply is only one aspect of the equation. It is just as important, if not more important, to maintain its functionality through regular maintenance and repairs. However, the Department of Defense currently faces a lack of necessary funding, resulting in its inability to provide critical spare parts and support to Ukrainian maintenance experts.
Temporarily suspend withdrawal from inventory
On January 23, Pentagon spokesperson Gen. Pat Ryder commented on the current predicament: “Our funding situation has reached a point where we have had to suspend withdrawals from our reserves, considering the potential impact on our own military preparedness. It will prevent us from meeting existing requirements on the Ukrainian battlefield, such as anti-tank guns, air defense interceptors, etc.” he explained.
General Rider further stated: “Without the allocation of the necessary funds, our ability to help maintain the system we have already given to Ukrainians will be significantly reduced.” He expressed his determination to resolve the “That’s why we continue to work with Congress to make additional resources available as soon as possible.” he concluded.
Underrated features
Following the recent statements of German parliamentarians, other concerns have emerged regarding the operational status of the Leopard 2 tanks supplied to Kiev. Availability of spare parts appears to be a key issue. Moreover, Ukrainian technicians do not seem to have sufficient skills to perform basic maintenance on these tanks.
In addition to these concerns, warnings from various military and political leaders have been noted over the past few weeks. Estonia’s military commander, General Martin Hellem, expressed his concerns to Bloomberg. He believes NATO may have significantly underestimated Russia’s resources and ammunition stockpiles.
Contrary to previous predictions, Russia could produce millions more shells a year and draft hundreds of thousands more soldiers. “Previously, they were considered to be at the limit. But today’s reality paints a different picture.” General Herem says:
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