“The Telegraph”: Russia could eventually achieve material and technical advantages in the war against Ukraine
00:00 / 02:57
Rustams Šukurovs / Latvian Radio
The journalists of “The Telegraph” state in the publication that Russia, in its efforts to increase the production of weapons, has started to use civil infrastructure facilities as weapons production workshops. As an example, the publication mentions the former shopping center “Italmas” in the Russian city of Izhevsk, on whose territory the Lancet attack drones are currently being manufactured, which are used in the war against Ukraine. The newspaper says it is one of many civilian infrastructure sites that have been converted into weapons production facilities since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
The publication also notes that employees of weapons production companies are encouraged to work a six-day work week, while the rest of the population is invited to become part of the Russian war machine by engaging in volunteer work.
An unnamed official told the newspaper that Russia’s total spending on the war against Ukraine amounts to 40% of GDP, far exceeding spending on Russia’s healthcare and education systems. As the newspaper points out, this is a statistic that the collective West has to reckon with.
Meanwhile, military experts warn that over time, Russia could gain significant material and technical advantages in the war against Ukraine. And although the seriousness of the situation is widely recognized behind the political scenes, the governments of Western countries are currently facing difficulties in finding a solution to it.
The newspaper publication also noted that the secrecy regime of the Russian defense industry and the tendency of officials to exaggerate figures for propaganda purposes make it difficult to accurately assess the extent of the reorientation of the Russian economy.
However, most experts agree that the reorientation is real, dangerous, and occurring at full capacity, the newspaper reported.
Meanwhile, the developers of the Ukrainian-made drones “Dolya” plan to introduce technologies for their mass production. The drone, which can be used for both reconnaissance and precision strikes on enemy targets, was developed at their own expense by three Ukrainian enthusiasts. The entire production process takes place in a small workshop, which the drone developers call a “laboratory”. They recently received a state grant of approximately 30,000 euros. According to the terms of its award, the developers of the drone must achieve its invulnerability in the conditions of electronic warfare. As one of the drone’s developers, named Stanislav, pointed out, this goal is achievable.
“Unfortunately, the enemy is learning. And the enemy is dangerous. Our adversaries have been preparing for war for decades. But despite that, we have already surpassed them in some respects. I can’t tell you all the details, but we have work to do,” Stanislav said.
Stanislav also noted that he and his colleagues hope to produce about a thousand drones a month in the future.
CONTEXT:
Russia’s unjustified and unprovoked large-scale invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022, Kremlin propaganda brazenly promised to capture Kyiv in three days, but the selfless and strong resistance of Ukrainians prevented the Kremlin from realizing its plans.
After the setbacks, the Kremlin withdrew the army from the Kyiv region, but continued the offensive in other regions. In the fall of 2022, the Ukrainian army managed to liberate Kharkiv region and part of Kherson region in successful operations, raising hopes for the possibility of defeating the enemy.
However, the Ukrainian counteroffensive launched in the summer of 2023 was not so successful, which the Ukrainian army explains both by the insufficient supply of weapons from the Western allies and by the deep defense line and extensive minefields created by the Russian army. Now there are reports that a war of positions has begun at the front with exhausting battles and preparations must be made for long-term support for Ukraine.
Meanwhile, aid from both the US and the European Union “hangs in the air”.
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2024-01-28 10:17:50
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