MOSCOW, July 21. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin pointed to the Ukrainian army’s huge losses, depleted Western arsenals and a change in public mood in Ukraine and Europe as the consequences of Kiev’s much-trumpeted counteroffensive that yielded no results.
"It is obvious today that the Kiev regime’s Western handlers are clearly disappointed over the results of the so-called counteroffensive loudly trumpeted by the current Ukrainian authorities in the previous months," Putin told a meeting with permanent members of the country’s Security Council.
"There are no results [of Ukraine’s counteroffensive], at least for the time being. Neither huge resources pumped into the Kiev regime nor the deliveries of Western weapons - tanks, artillery, armor and missiles - nor thousands of foreign mercenaries sent there and most actively used in attempts to break through our army’s front are of any help," the Russian leader said.
The Russian supreme commander-in-chief highly praised the military command in the zone of the special military operation in Ukraine.
"The military command of the special military operation acts professionally. Our soldiers and officers, units and formations fulfil their duty to their Motherland courageously, perseveringly and heroically," the Russian leader stressed.
Depleted Western arms inventories
"Meanwhile, the entire world sees that the much-touted Western and allegedly invulnerable equipment is torched and is frequently inferior even to some Soviet-made armaments by its operational characteristics," the head of state said.
"Yes, of course, Western armaments can still be additionally supplied and thrown into battle. This, of course, causes certain damage to us and prolongs the conflict," the head of state said.
"However, firstly, NATO arsenals and old Soviet weaponry inventories in some states have already been considerably depleted. Secondly, the available production capacities in the West do not allow for quickly replenishing stocks of expended hardware and ammunition," Putin stressed.
As the Russian leader pointed out, "additional and, moreover, large resources and time are needed" to replenish the Western arms inventories.
Ukrainian army’s irreparable losses
The Ukrainian military lost tens of thousands of troops in its counteroffensive, the Russian president said.
"The main thing is that Ukrainian armed formations suffered huge losses as a result of suicidal attacks. They run into tens of thousands, exactly tens of thousands of people," Putin said.
As the Russian leader pointed out, "despite constant raids, incessant waves of total mobilization across cities and villages in Ukraine, it is increasingly difficult for the current regime to send new reinforcements to the front. The country's mobilization resource is running out."
Change in public sentiment
The Russian leader also pointed to a change in public mood in Ukraine and Europe.
"People in Ukraine increasingly often pose this question, a legitimate question: for the sake of what, for the sake of whose mercenary interests their relatives and friends are being killed. They are sobering up, even if gradually and slowly," the head of state said.
"We see that public opinion in Europe is also changing. Both Europeans and representatives of the European elites see that this so-called support of Ukraine is essentially a deadlock, a futile and endless waste of money and effort and in actual fact the servicing of someone else’s, far from European interests: the interests of the global hegemon from across the ocean that benefits from a weaker Europe," the Russian leader said.
Advantageous flames of war
As Putin pointed out, "the endless prolongation of the Ukraine conflict is also advantageous" for the United States.
"Judging from what is happening in real life, the current US ruling elites are doing precisely this. In any case, they are acting following this logic," the Russian leader said.
"Whether this policy corresponds to the true and vital interests of the American people is a big question and certainly a rhetorical question and let them deal with it themselves," the head of state said.
"However, the flames of war are being intensely fueled at present," Putin said. The Russian leader pointed out that the United States "exploits for this purpose the ambitions of leaders of some Eastern European states who have long turned their hatred of Russia and Russophobia into their chief export commodity and an instrument of their internal policy and now want to benefit from the Ukrainian tragedy."