Russian military capabilities are advancing at a staggering rate as Vladimir Putin’s forces claw back territory in Ukraine.
In a sobering update to Congress on Thursday, General Christopher Cavoli, head of US European Command and NATO’s supreme allied commander in Europe, revealed that Russia’s military resurgence has outpaced initial estimates.
Addressing the Senate Armed Services Committee, Cavoli cautioned that Russia’s replenishment of its forces is occurring at a “far faster” rate than previously thought, despite the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Cavoli’s testimony shed light on the concerning reality that Russia’s military capabilities have essentially rebounded to pre-war levels.
He said: “They’ve got some gaps that have been produced by this war, but their overall capacity is very significant still, and they intend to make it go higher.”
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Providing written testimony prior to the hearing, Cavoli detailed that while certain segments of Russia’s Armed Forces have suffered losses, a substantial portion has retained its full operational capacity.
He wrote: “Russia is reconstituting that force far faster than our initial estimates suggested. The army is actually now larger — by 15 percent — than it was when it invaded Ukraine. Over the past year, Russia increased its front line troop strength from 360,000 to 470,000.”
Cavoli’s warning comes at a critical juncture as Ukraine continues to face relentless pressure from Russian forces, with recent weeks witnessing a slow yet steady advancement of Russian troops into Ukrainian territory.
He warned: “The severity of this moment cannot be overstated. If we do not continue to support Ukraine, Ukraine could lose.”
Despite bipartisan efforts to provide military aid to Ukraine, progress has been hindered by political gridlock. GOP lawmakers have delayed additional foreign aid, frustrating efforts to bolster Ukraine’s defence capabilities.
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However, the Senate approved a $95 billion foreign aid bill, earmarking $60 billion for Ukraine, alongside support for Israel and Taiwan in the face of escalating regional tensions.
Meanwhile, in the House of Representatives, Speaker Mike Johnson faces mounting pressure to advance the aid package amid internal party divisions. Several lawmakers have threatened to challenge Johnson’s leadership over the Ukraine aid debate.
Cavoli reiterated the urgent need for additional support for Ukraine during his appearance before the House Armed Services Committee.
He highlighted the stark asymmetry in artillery capabilities on the battlefield, with Ukrainian forces vastly outgunned by their Russian counterparts.
Cavoli reiterated: “Based on my experience in 37-plus years in the US military, if one side can shoot and the other side can’t shoot back, the side that can’t shoot back loses. So the stakes are very high.”
