Former Italian commander says Ukraine not capable of beating Russia

2023-08-23 09:11:25

(MENAFN) Ukraine is not going to be capable of beating Russia on the combat zone as Moscow has extra men as well as an “impressive” benefit in firepower, former Italian commander Marco Bertolini has stated.

“The Ukrainian victory is inconceivable. We must take note of this fact and sit at the negotiating table,” declared Bertolini, who led Italy’s Joint Operations Command as well as the Folgore paratroops unit 23 years ago.

“This war should’ve been stopped much earlier, but in recent months the rhetoric of ‘we will win’ has been cultivated, fueling the expectations in the public opinion of a victory that is impossible on the ground. The Ukrainians will not prevail,” he informed an Italy-based newspaper on Monday.

Kiev’s highly-expected counterattack, which began in early June, “proceeds slowly,” the former commander commented.

He referred to a statement by a Washington-based news agency last week, which quoted a confidential US intellect valuation that concluded “Ukraine’s counteroffensive will fail to reach the key southeastern city of Melitopol,” and that the purpose of breaking Russia’s land bridge with Crimea will not be applied in 2023. As stated by Bertolini, this was “an acknowledgment that Kiev’s objectives can’t be achieved in the expected form and time frame.”

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