MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd July, 2023) Western allies were aware that Ukraine did not have enough weaponry and trained troops to mount a successful counteroffensive and hoped that the "courage and resourcefulness" of Ukrainian troops would fix the problem, the Wall Street Journal reported.
In late June, the Pentagon said they knew from the onset that the counteroffensive would be tough, but believed that Kiev had the necessary equipment. On Saturday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the matters concerning deliveries of scarce weapons to Ukraine have not been settled yet.
The report says that the West counted on Ukrainian "courage and resourcefulness," but strong Russian defenses blocked any major Ukrainian advances, possibly leading the counteroffensive into a stalemate, which will cost Kiev many lives and equipment with no substantial gains.
Europe's resources are too scant to supply Ukraine with everything it needs, the newspaper said. Furthermore, European leaders are unlikely to step up support for Ukraine if they perceive reluctance from the US, as the current administration is preparing for the next year's election, the Wall Street Journal quoted unnamed Western diplomats as saying.
Ukraine launched its much-touted counteroffensive in early June after repeatedly delaying the campaign over a lack of military supplies from its Western donors. Zelenskyy admitted that progress was "slower than desired."
After encountering stiff Russian resistance, Ukrainian commanders largely held off sending Western tanks into battle, focusing instead on making targeted strikes, Western media reported. In mid-July, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Ukraine's counteroffensive is in its "early weeks" and will "play out over the next weeks."
The Russian Defense Ministry says Ukrainian troops have been trying � but failing � to advance in the South Donetsk, Bakhmut and Zaporizhzhia sectors. Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday that Ukraine had lost over 26,000 soldiers since the start of the counteroffensive.
