Russia is relocating military aircraft and helicopters closer to the borders of Ukraine, which may indicate the transition of the war to a new phase.
This is reported by the Financial Times, citing two Western officials with access to intelligence from NATO countries.
According to one of the interlocutors of the publication, the Russian ground forces are depleted, so the Kremlin, as part of a new offensive, can rely on the remaining aircraft. NATO believes that Russia is preparing to launch an air campaign, involving approximately 80% of its military aviation, and will try to disable Ukraine’s air defense.
Financial Times sources say that in this regard, the issue of strengthening Ukrainian air defense was a priority at the last meeting of the Western allies, pushing the issue of supplying fighter jets to Ukraine into the background.
The head of the Pentagon, Lloyd Austin, after a NATO meeting in Brussels on February 14, told reporters that he has not yet seen signs of a build-up of Russian aviation near the borders of Ukraine. But we know that Russia still has a significant amount of aircraft in reserve. That is why we emphasize that we need to do everything possible to give Ukraine more air defense capabilities, ”the BBC quotes him as saying.
Also, the US Secretary of Defense said that there are no press reports about the supply of fighter jets to Ukraine.
Ukrainian and Western intelligence agencies have repeatedly warned that Russia is planning a new offensive in Ukraine, which could be timed to coincide with the anniversary of the invasion.
According to estimates by the intelligence services of Western countries and Ukraine, which was quoted by The Washington Post on February 13, Russia has now concentrated about 300 thousand people in Ukraine, which is twice as many as at the beginning of the invasion. Western countries expect that Russia will involve several hundred thousand more people in the war.
Source: Racurs
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