A retired U.S. Army Special Forces member assisting the Ukrainian military recently told Newsweek that Russia's new offensive might have already hit a roadblock.
The 26-year veteran, who revealed himself only as Erik for security reasons, told the outlet in a report published Thursday that the Kremlin could be holding back resources in its spring blitz for a more rewarding push in the future.
"If this is the counteroffensive, then it's already stalling," said Erik, a former member of the Mozart Group now working with the Ukraine Defense Support Group. "If it's a precursor, then we will see."
The Ukrainian-controlled city of Bakhmut in the Donbas has been weathering waves of Russian assaults successfully for several months, according to Erik. And although it is expected to fall soon, the source said, Moscow has suffered devastating casualties.
"From talking to the folks that we've trained before — several of them just got back from Bakhmut — the thing they said is that the Russians just kept coming, and coming, and coming," he said. "They just had so many people, even if they were using them as cannon fodder."
Russian oligarch Yevgeny Prigozhin, who controls the Kremlin-aligned private military organization Wagner Group, said Wednesday that his troops have full control over the city's eastern districts.
Erik said Russia's decision to launch the offensive now is motivated primarily by the fear over M-1 Abrams tanks from the U.S., Leopard-2 tanks from Germany, and British assistance hitting the battlefield for Ukraine later this year.
"All that armor — that's a big concern," Erik said. "The Russians are concerned about the influx of Western tanks, and they want to get some progress before the Western tanks have an effect on the battlefield."
Still, Erik said, Ukraine's central issue currently is a lack of manpower. He said Kyiv is "trying to get any effective forces they can towards the front" but needs more trained soldiers.
"They're trying to make sure their guys and gals have at least some training before they go," the source said, adding that Ukraine understands "the need for combined arms operations ... instead of just throwing forces out piecemeal or without planning."
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