NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that Russia has lost hundreds of planes, thousands of tanks, as well as more than 300,000 soldiers in the war in Ukraine. Stoltenberg stated at the press conference he held at the end of the meeting of NATO foreign ministers that they discussed many issues such as Ukraine, China and the Western Balkans for two days.
Speaking about Ukraine, he stated that 50 percent of the regions occupied by Russia were liberated by the Ukrainian army.
Emphasizing that Ukraine continues to exist as a sovereign state and that this is the most important achievement, Stoltenberg said that Russia has suffered heavy losses in battles and is economically weakened.
Stoltenberg stated that Russia has lost political influence not only in Ukraine, but also in its immediate surroundings in the Caucasus and Central Asia.
“Russia has lost a significant part of its conventional forces. Hundreds of planes, thousands of tanks and more than 300,000 human casualties,” Stoltenberg said.
He stated that Russia is under economic pressure, that oil and gas revenues have fallen, more than 1,000 foreign companies have stopped or reduced their activities in the country and that 1.3 million people left Russia last year.
“It’s all Putin’s fault. He made a strategic mistake by invading Ukraine,” Stoltenberg said.
He believes that Russian goals in Ukraine have not changed.
“The Russian economy is on a war footing. Putin has a high tolerance for losses. Russian goals in Ukraine have not changed. Russia built up a large stockpile of missiles before winter. We are seeing new attempts to strike Ukraine’s power grid and energy infrastructure. He is trying to leave Ukraine in the dark and cold,” added Stoltenberg, AA reports.
