General David Petraeus stated that the initiative on the battlefield currently lies with Ukraine, as Russia is unable to achieve its desired objectives. He emphasized that despite claims from Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding substantial progress, the reality is quite different.
Petraeus noted that it is increasingly clear that Ukraine is preventing Russia from reaching its goals in the current spring-summer campaign, which includes the seizure of key fortified cities in the Donbas region. “They have not even reached the fortified cities; they are still approaching them. Moreover, Ukraine is not only stopping Russia from achieving its aims but is inflicting severe casualties, with over 1,000 killed and wounded each day – which, frankly, is unimaginable,” he remarked.
The general, who has held five command positions as a general, including three as a four-star general in Iraq, Afghanistan, and U.S. Central Command, expressed disbelief at the scale of these losses. “We’re talking about casualties significantly exceeding 1,000 per day,” he reiterated.
Context
- Since December 2025, the Russian army has been losing initiative on the battlefield, as stated by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the end of May.
- In mid-June, then-Defense Minister of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov expressed that Ukrainian defense forces would have the advantage on the front over the next six months.
