US Defense Secretary: 'Fighting in Ukraine has become strategic quagmire for Russian forces'

The Russian attacks on Ukraine began 233 days ago and have been a strategic quagmire for President Vladimir Putin's forces, the US Defense Secretary said in a statement, Report informs.

"The Ukrainians stopped the Russian military's initial attack toward the capital of Kyiv and forced the Russians back. They held their own against Russian attacks on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, and ultimately pushed the invaders back. The Ukrainians launched an all-out offensive from Kharkiv and expelled the Russians from much of the area that had been occupied. Ukraine's military is also pushing the Russians back in the south and is on the outskirts of Kherson – a strategic node there," the Secretary of Defense said.

The Russians have launched missile attacks against Ukrainian cities aimed at civilians and infrastructure. A senior defense official said these attacks are against the international laws of war.

"We do assess that the Ukrainians continue to make some advances on the battlefield," the official said. "We also have seen …, particularly since the attack of the Kerch Bridge last week, … the Russians continue to retaliate. The use of precision-guided munitions in a very imprecise way has continued over the course of the week."

The Russians have launched hundreds of rockets at the major Ukrainian cities. Ukrainian forces have had some success at shooting down the missiles, but they need more air defense capabilities.

“Air defense remains a priority for Ukraine. The Russians, even with a huge Air Force, have never been able to achieve air superiority over Ukraine. Ukrainian aircraft and air defense forces have made it too dangerous for Russian aircraft to operate, and this changes the nature of combat in the country, the senior defense official said.

Yet, air defense does not come cheap. For every missile or aircraft knocked down, it's safe to assume that a number of missiles were fired. Keeping these supplies up and increasing the integration of the air defense picture is key for Ukraine. The recent Ukraine Defense Contact Group meeting in Brussels addressed this, and a number of allies and partners – along with the United States – are working to get these capabilities to Kyiv,” the US Defense Secretary said.