Conflicts & War

Russia will need years to rebuild its army, says UK

London, Sep 13 (EFE).- Russia will need years to rebuild its armed forces, the British defense ministry said Tuesday, as Ukraine’s swift advance in the east continues.

“Elements of the Russian forces withdrawn from Kharkiv Oblast over the last week were from the 1st Guards Tank Army (1 GTA), which are subordinate to the Western Military District (WEMD),” the ministry added in a Twitter post.

According to the post, the Russian unit “suffered heavy casualties in the initial phase of the invasion and had not been fully reconstituted prior to the Ukrainian counter-offensive in Kharkiv.

The “1 GTA had been one of the most prestigious of Russia’s armies, allocated for the defense of Moscow, and intended to lead counter-attacks in the case of a war with NATO.

“With 1 GTA and other WEMD formations severely degraded, Russia’s conventional force designed to counter NATO is severely weakened. It will likely take years for Russia to rebuild this capability.”

The defense ministry’s remarks come after Ukrainian forces have recaptured areas of the northeastern territory over the past few days.EFE

prc/smq/mp

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