Biden official told members of Congress that Ukraine has ability to retake Crimea
Source: Yahoo! News
A Biden administration official recently told members of Congress that Ukraine has the military capability to retake Crimea, but some officials are concerned any large-scale offensive that threatens Russias hold on the peninsula could push Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons, say two U.S. officials familiar with the matter.
The late November Ukraine briefing to some members of Congress included discussion of the reasons Ukraine will continue to need U.S. weapons and equipment for the foreseeable future. The two officials said a Biden official, when asked during the briefing about continued support for the Ukrainian military and whether it would try to retake Crimea, responded that Ukraine now has the ability to take it back.
Asked about the response, a U.S. official said that Ukraine has no near-term objective to retake Crimea and that a military offensive is not imminent but did acknowledge that Ukraine has shown resilience and perseverance throughout the war. Administration officials say they believe three recent deadly drone strikes against Russian military bases were carried out by Ukrainians, although they say its still not clear whether the Zelenskyy government ordered them directly.
Washington and other governments have provided Kyiv with more powerful weapons, including HIMARS artillery, that have inflicted serious damage on Russian forces. U.S. and Western perceptions of Ukraines armed forces have changed since the February invasion, when U.S. and European officials worried Russian troops and tanks would crush their adversaries in a matter of days or weeks. Senior U.S. military officers and Western governments say Ukraine has shown ingenuity and grit in fighting a larger, better-armed military and quickly incorporated new weapons systems provided by NATO members.
Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/biden-official-told-members-congress-133033481.html
SheltieLover
(57,073 posts)Lovie777
(12,393 posts)Although Russia is on the defensive and now touting, wait for it .......
Nuclear weapon, and China and India isn't happy.
Lonestarblue
(10,157 posts)They are fighting the war against democracy for us. All were doing is providing some of the firepower. Putin has been a destabilizing force around the world his whole time in office. Ukraine showed us that his feared military was far less than it appeared. Yes, he still has nuclear weapons, but it they have been maintained in the same way as Russias conventional weaponry, they may not be so fearsome either. Thats not to underestimate their nuclear capabilities, especially with newer nuclear capable ships and missiles. But Putin needs to be defeatedto be seen by his own people as a weak leader and one whose strategy of destabilizing the world has brought nothing but problems for the Russian people. Ukrainians are the ones fighting and dying to make this hapoen.
onecaliberal
(32,993 posts)PortTack
(32,820 posts)Forces hammering their other supply lines they cant keep their forces supplied- there is no direct route to Russia and the lines left are by truck and quite long. It will be the oblasts to the east, Luhansk and the Donbas that will be difficult for Ukraine to recapture. They border with Russia so supply is not as big an issue
speak easy
(9,345 posts)It's a stand off, because the U.S. has threatened to sink every one of their Black Sea fleet, the first time they try using nukes.
LisaM
(27,850 posts)without shedding one drop of blood and CNN would still ask every guest on their shows whether he should run again.
blue-wave
(4,374 posts)take all of Crimea by the end of winter. In the spring we can celebrate the war is over. Let's just get it done and this war over and done.
Slava Ukraini!! Heroyam Slava!! Slava NaViki!!