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Military operation in Ukraine

US ex-intel officer says counterattacking may be difficult for Ukrainians

According to Scott Ritter, Ukraine’s armed forces have suffered major casualties on the front line

NOVOSIBIRSK, May 1. /TASS/. Any counteroffensive will be difficult for Ukraine’s armed forces, who have suffered major casualties on the front line, Scott Ritter, a former United States Marine Corps intelligence officer, told reporters on Monday.

"I personally believe that the Ukrainian military has suffered significant casualties and that it will be very difficult for them to do something like this, but war is war, and that’s up to them," said Ritter, also formerly a United Nations Special Commission inspector, when asked to comment on a potential Ukrainian counteroffensive.

In early April, he said the permanent losses among Ukrainian military personnel might amount to roughly 300,000 soldiers.

Last Monday, the New York Times reported, citing leaked Pentagon documents, that Ukrainian troops were planning to launch their long-awaited counteroffensive in the southern theater of operations in May. According to the newspaper, for this purpose, Ukraine should prepare 12 brigades of about 4,000 servicemen each by the end of April.

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Ukraine Military operation in Ukraine

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