Russia expert Hans van Koningsbrugge: ‘War is now continuing at full speed’

“To Ukraine’s great joy, the US House of Representatives has approved a $61 billion aid package. Ukraine did not want to gamble on that recently, so was very sparing in its use of ammunition. The artillery was used only to a limited extent. Those worries are now over.

Some worry that it will take a long time before the goods are shipped. That was not that bad. The US government has already prepared to send the weapons.

‘Russia wants to expand buffer zone’

So the Ukrainian army can continue shelling Russian depots. This is also possible with Atacms missiles, which according to Biden have already been secretly delivered. Some have a range of up to 300 kilometers. This means it can cover a large area, including the Black Sea, Crimea and the Crimean Bridge.

Putin’s spokesman Peskov was quick to report that Russia plans to expand the buffer zone in Ukraine. Such a buffer must prevent Russian targets from being hit from Ukrainian territory. The Kremlin may want that, but it has already expressed so many red lines and then not acted on them, so first see then believe. That buffer zone doesn’t even exist yet.

What bothers Russia is that the production of weaponry does not outweigh the enormous losses on the battlefield. Moreover, Soviet supplies are finite.

‘Russia has a shortage of workers’

And one more thing: I read that partly because of the war, half of Russian companies have a shortage of workers. In the republic of Dagestan, a law has even been issued stating that children from the age of 14 can work in factories. It indicates how great the need for manpower is.

This will only increase if the war claims even more victims: not only those killed in action, but also seriously injured. Now the Russian population is already shrinking and an estimated one million young Russians have fled abroad.

Both Russia and Ukraine are still expecting victory, so the war will continue at full speed with American arms supplies to the Ukrainian side.”