Washington (AP) —The United States learned a lot in the first two months about the shortages and capabilities of the Russian army. War in Ukraine, The Pentagon’s top leader told Congress on Tuesday. But they warned that Moscow would learn from its mistakes as the war moved to a new stage, which would shape the cannons and other weapons systems offered by the United States.
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and General Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Senate Budget Subcommittee said that if Congress approves funding, the most important things Ukraine needs are anti-aircraft, anti-aircraft, and surface-to-air missiles. I told the meeting. Anti-aircraft missile. Millie added that the Ukrainian army also needs more tanks and other mechanized vehicles offered by the United States and other countries, as combat is now concentrated in the eastern region of Donbus.
They said the next few weeks will be important.
Before Russia invaded Ukraine in late February, the United States provided Ukrainian troops with about $ 1 billion in weapons and equipment and trained them for years. Since the invasion, the United States has promised an additional $ 3.7 billion in weapons and other aid, asking Congress for an additional $ 33 billion in military and other aid.
Senators Patty Murray, including D-Wash, have pressured Austin and Millie on whether weapons are actually in the forefront army, or whether they are diverted or stored. Austin said it’s difficult to know because Ukraine doesn’t have Americans on the ground to monitor the flow of weapons. But he said they had regular discussions with Ukrainian responders, emphasizing the need for accountability in the distribution of weapons.
Austin noted Russia’s early failures, including an almost immediate struggle with logistics and difficulty in obtaining food, water and supplies to the military.
“I saw things unfolding on the ground and I saw them unable to support themselves logistically. At the beginning of this I saw them making some bad assumptions. The number of failures, “Austin said. “I attribute much of this to the lack of leadership at the lower levels.”
He said that leadership issues forced Russia to send superior generals to the front where “many” people were killed.
Austin said the United States expects to see some of the same mistakes as Battles between Donbus and southern Ukraine will escalateThe Black Sea Peninsula was seized by Russia and annexed in March 2014 as Russia was trying to take control of its solid land from the east through Mariupol and along the Sea of Azov to Crimea.
But he said. “They will learn from what they did in the early stages of this battle, and we will see them improve their logistical efforts. And we will see them improve their logistical efforts. You’ll see it improve the mass and that kind of business, but there are some that they can’t fix. “
Austin and Millie said Russia’s inability to train young commanders to make decisions led to a very heavy organization that was not as agile and effective as the Ukrainian army. Millie said the United States and other Western nations taught the Ukrainian army about more successful mission commands and decentralized controls and tactics on the dynamic battlefield.
He also said that the United States “opened the pipe” and sent “a significant amount of information” to Ukraine both before the invasion and during the battle.
On a related issue, President Joe Biden appointed Army General Christopher G. Cavoli as Europe’s next top general and served as NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander. Cavoli is currently the commander of the United States Army Europe and Africa. His nomination is currently sent to the US Senate for confirmation. He will replace General Todd D. Walters of the Air Force.