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Russia losing ‘UAVs’ in Ukraine, says UK; explains why it could be a setback
Ukraine war: Kyiv has estimated its losses amid the Russia offensive at $100 billion dollars.
Even as Russia claimed a big win and said it had seized the last holdout in Ukraine’s Mariupol - the Azovstal iron and steel works plant - the United Kingdom on Saturday said the country is fast losing UAVs (Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles) that will hit its operational effectiveness.
“The Russia-Ukraine war has seen Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) playing a pivotal role for both sides although they have suffered a high rate of attrition. UAVs have proved vulnerable both to being shot down and to electronic jamming,” the UK’s ministry of defence said in its latest inputs on Twitter, citing intelligence.
“If Russia continues to lose UAVs at its current rate, the Russian forces intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capability will be further degraded, negatively impacting operational effectiveness,” it said in another post.
The Ukraine war is set to enter the fourth month next week and Volodymyr Zelensky, in his nightly address on Friday night, said that Moscow could pay for the damages the country has suffered amid the conflict.
Kyiv estimates its losses to be around $100 billion.
Meanwhile, the UK has also said that Russia’s bombardment of Ukraine is blocking the export of critical food supplies, “increasing prices for the most vulnerable around the world.” “The Kremlin must end its barbaric war, and let Ukrainian farmers help feed the world again,” a government statement read.
The United Nations too has raised concerns about the food crisis emerging globally due to the war.
Another impact is the fuel and gas shortage. In the latest developments, Russia has blocked gas supply to Finland amid the neighbouring country’s bid for membership of the US-led NATO defence alliance.
