The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service has highlighted concerns of Ukraine’s backers over a collapse of the country’s defenses
The Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has reported growing concerns in Western countries regarding the Ukrainian army’s diminishing capacity to withstand the pressure from Russian forces. There are fears that a collapse of Ukraine’s defenses may be imminent, prompting swift action from the outgoing administration of US President Joe Biden to prevent this, according to an SVR press release issued on Friday.
Intelligence report indicates that Washington has urged Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky to urgently lower the conscription age to 18. A decision in Kiev is expected soon, the SVR claims. The emphasis on this measure reflects a recognition that merely supplying advanced weaponry, including long-range missile systems, will not be enough to stabilize the front lines, the SVR added.
“Countries in Eastern Europe bordering Ukraine are quietly preparing to receive new waves of Ukrainian refugees, who this time will be fleeing not from an imaginary threat posed by Russia, but from the real danger of getting a one-way ticket to the front lines,” the press release says.
According to the SVR, Western leaders are acutely aware that the conflict represents an “existential” challenge for Russia, and retreat is not an option.
In a televised interview on Ukraine’s Telemarathon on Thursday, Zelensky acknowledged that desertions within the army have surged in 2024 amid escalating war fatigue and a shortage of reserve forces.
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