Ukraine's "Seriously Degraded" Military

by Stephen Lendman

Ukraine's battered and beaten military is more degraded now than when Russia's Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu explained its dismal state weeks earlier.

Over 50,000 of its forces were killed or wounded, thousands more captured.

Many others deserted their units.

Ukraine's so-called air force and navy no longer exist.

Russian forces control Ukraine's airspace and coastal waters.

The morale of its largely conscript military crumbled from poor training, weeks of battering and exhaustion on the frontlines.

Shoigu also warned that Russian forces will respond appropriately to US/Western weapons crossing into Ukraine.

As "legitimate targets," they'll be destroyed, including individuals attempting to deliver them to Ukrainian forces.

On April 26, journalist Daphne Rousseau reported the following:

"After two months under (relentless) Russian fire, (it's) hard to sustain optimism," adding:

Ukrainian "losses have been high" after the early stage of the battle for Donbass.

"When asked about casualties, one (Ukrainian) soldier…br(oke) down in tears."

"His unit (was) very badly hit," said Rousseau.

On Sunday, she said the following:

"Exhausted Ukrainian soldiers return(ed) from the eastern front."

Soldiers in Ukraine's 81st brigade "walked 12 kilometers" for lack of armored vehicles or enough trucks to transport them.

The casual count is unrevealed.

Many Ukrainian survivors of Russia's offensive are "injured…have somatic problems…and worsened…illnesses."

Many have "trench foot (from) prolonged exposure to moisture, unsanitary conditions or the cold."

"For a month, they (were) not able to dry their shoes...so there are many feet-related injuries, mainly fungi and infections," according to a Ukrainian doctor.

Many are greatly affected by "physical and psychological injuries."

On May, 2 Rousseau quoted a Ukrainian soldier, saying:

Russian forces "shell so much…(B)ombs land everywhere."

"A railway bridge that spans the Donets river on the way to Sloviansk was destroyed last week by a Russian rocket."

Two train cars of goods plunged into the gray waters of the Donets river due to the attack."

"A road bridge running parallel was partially destroyed Monday evening."

Up against vastly superior Russian forces with state-of the-art weapons, Ukraine's military continues to be greatly degraded.

Demilitarizing it and deNazifying Ukraine is just a matter of time.

While US/Western regimes, their MSM press agents and puppet Zelensky maintain the illusion of being able to effectively counter Russian forces with increased supplies of weapons, munitions and equipment, reality on the frontlines tells a far different story.

Ukraine's largely conscript military is significantly degraded and beaten.

The outcome of Russia's SMO was clear before begun.

A collective US/Western brave face is increasingly hard-pressed to conceal reality on the ground.

The longer Russia's SMO continues, the more battered and demoralized Ukraine's military becomes.

Vladimir Putin, Sergey Lavrov, Sergey Shoigu and other Russian officials are right.

Moscow will achieve its publicly stated goals to demilitarize and deNazify Ukraine, along with liberating Donbass entirely from the scourge of Nazified occupation and 8 years of aggression by Kiev.

When the above aims are accomplished, Russia's security will be more greatly enhanced by ending US/NATO's proxy war along its borders.

At the same time, the menace posed by the collective West remains.

Longstanding US plans call for regime change in Russia and other sovereign independent countries.

Where hegemon USA goes, Western vassal states follow.

With or without use of Ukraine as a platform for perpetual US proxy war on Russia, both right wings of its war party pose an unparalleled threat to everyone everywhere.

Russia, China, Iran and other nations free from US control know its rage for dominance could be unleashed full force at any time for invented reasons.

It's why the threat of global war 3.0 is not only real, it may have already begun.