Russia has shown no signs it has enough forces to push back against Ukraine’s ongoing incursion, an Estonian defence chief has warned.
The deputy chief of staff of the Estonian Defence Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Mattias Puusepp, argued the surprise cross-border attack surprised Moscow enough to leave its military unable to “respond effectively.”
According to the latest data, Ukraine holds over 80 settlements in the Russian border region two weeks since the start of their operation.
Speaking to national broadcaster ERR, Puusepp said: “According to Russian social media reports, the Russian Armed Forces are expected to launch a counteroffensive soon.
“However, there are no indications yet that the Russian Armed Forces have enough forces and areas to deploy such significant actions.”
The town, which had a population of just 5,000 before the conflict began, holds some strategic importance.
From there, troops can access main roads to continue with their operation in Russia.
Natural gas flowing from West Siberian gas fields to Central Europe via Ukraine passes through a metering station in the Sudzha district. However, Ukraine can also cut this gas flow from its own territory.
The incursion has reframed the conflict, leading to the evacuation of more than 130,000 civilians, according to Russian authorities, and the capture of at least 100 Russian troops, according to Kyiv.
It is widely seen as a major morale boost for a country and an army struggling to fend off steady Russian advances more than two years after Moscow sent troops into Ukraine.
Ukraine is wagering it can cope with the strain on its resources involved in the attack in Kursk without sacrificing Donetsk.
Russia reckons it can contain the incursion without needing to ease up in Donetsk.
