Russia losing momentum, says NATO as small wins buoy Ukraine: Report

As Russian war entered day 82, developments in North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and Ukrainian defenders staging sturdy resistance against inving troops have resulted in some notable wins on and off battlefield. Meanwhile, Western leers, citing intelligence analysis have also flagged that Russia is losing momentum in Ukraine due to logistical and moral issues. "Ukraine can win this war," NATO General-Secretary Jens Stoltenberg said, during a virtual dress to military bloc's informal meeting in Berlin.

On or hand, Finland and Sweden acted on ir long-awaited plan to join NATO membership despite strong Russian opposition. Helinski on Sunday stated that Russian war in Ukraine has changed "security landscape" in Europe, thus, leaving m no option but to scrap its age-old non-alliance status. Hours later, Sweden too followed suit and cleared air over its potential membership request to NATO in coming days. While intergovernmental military bloc calls it to be a defensive expansion, Russia describes it as a threat to its territorial borders.

Russia losing momentum in Ukraine

UK and US intelligence reports in past weeks have suggested that inving Russian forces are grually facing logistical and moral issues, leing to "incredible losses" in Ukraine. According to British intel, higher infantry losses, repelled airstrikes and reduced combat effectiveness in Central Ukraine, and led Russia to focus its offensive in east. "In some areas (of Luhansk and Donetsk regions) staffing of (Russian) units as a consequence of hostilities, is less than 20%," Ukraine Armed forces General Staff spokesperson Oleksandr Shtupun said late on Sunday, as quoted by CNN. Meanwhile, Russian forces have also been trying to push south from Izium, but in vain.

"Russia's war in Ukraine is not going as Moscow has planned. It failed to take Kyiv. y are pulling back around Kharkiv, ir major offensive in Donbass has stalled. Russia is not achieving its strategic objectives," Stoltenberg said on Sunday.

Britain's intel report also suggests that Russia may have lost as much as one-third of its ground forces committed when it began war in Ukraine. report ded that although Russia has deployed about 100 tactical battalion groups to offensive in Donbass, se troops are lacking strength. However, assessment warned that losses could trigger Moscow to "dramatically accelerate its rate or vance over next 30 days."

Eurovision Song Contest major boost to Ukraine's morale

global win at Eurovision Song Contest was a major morale boost for Ukraine amid three-month-long running war. Kalush Orchestra, a folk-rap ensemble won competition after it sang Stefania in finale, a song that has been a popular anm recently. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has promised to hold next event of Eurovision Song Contest as a customary winner's honor.

Despite losses, Russia has continued to inflict damage to life and property in Ukraine. A grinding battle to "liberate" pro-Russian separatist-held regions is underway with invers launching arbitrary airstrikes on residential buildings, forcing residents to take underground shelters. Meanwhile, situation in Mariupol has remained dire with a majority of its territory under Russian control except for metallurgical plant where at least a thousand defenders have refused to surrender.

(Image: AP)