The Defense Department has published an interview with a Pentagon official who explained that if the United States ceased funding Ukraine’s War with Russia this would result in Ukraine losing the Battle of Avdiivaka – two days before Russian forces invaded the city of Avdiivaka on Saturday, in Ukraine’s contested Donbus Region.
According to the official, if Ukraine fails because we failed to provide security assistance it would be costly for Europe and the United States, as well as the rest of world. It would cost much more than the security assistance costs of today.
The official said it was also related to the Ukrainian lobby and its supporters’ inability to pass a new bill providing aid to Ukraine.
According to officials, the absence of an additional supplement has already affected Ukraine.
Officials have stated that Ukrainian forces in Avdiivka – a strategically important city in the eastern Ukraine region of Donbas – are running out of ammunition and other supplies. This city may soon fall under Russian control.
Officials stated, “We see this as a foreshadowing of what could happen if we do not get additional funding.” We will be unable to resupply our brave troops who are defending Avdiivka without additional funding.
The official said that Ukraine will not have enough funding to purchase air defense interceptors to protect its cities and critical infrastructure, as well as front-line troops, from the constant barrage of Russian rockets.
According to officials, other areas besides Avdiivka would fall if Ukrainian forces ran out of ammunition and their air defense capability.
The Pentagon didn’t name the official but did include a photo of Army Secretary Christine E. Wormuth who met with American troops and Ukrainians at the Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on Thursday. This official’s comments also matched those attributed to the US Army Europe & Africa in another release, also released Friday. The attributed remarks were more direct and less dire.
Avdiivaka is primarily populated by Russians. More than 85 percent of Avdiivaka’s residents speak Russian. Until recent developments, however, its participation was only theoretical.
Avdivada was wiped out about a week ago after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zaluzhnyy changed his general military commander from General Valerii “The Iron General” Zaluzhnyi to Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskii.
The fall coincides with the anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and a week before that. This was done to protect the ethnic Russians in Donbas and Crimea after they had been attacked militarily and culturally following their de jure and de facto secession.
In the Pentagon article, an unnamed official linked the conflict in Ukraine to American security. “Without additional funding, DOD is faced with resource gaps when it comes to supporting its forces.”
Wormuth spent Wednesday and Thursday at Wiesbaden’s Lucius D. Clay Kaserne and Grafenwoehr’s Training Area.
US personnel are training Ukrainian soldiers at the Grafenwoehr Site. “Kaserne” is the German word for barracks and is used by the Army to describe its European & African headquarters.
In a press release, the European & African Command of the Army stated that “the whole world is watching us – our friends and our enemies.” ”
She continued:
The United States’ support for Ukraine and its sovereignty is vital – both to Ukraine and our NATO Allies. We can stop Putin from launching unprovoked attacks on Europe by defending Ukrainian sovereignty.
After meeting with her soldiers and visiting Army facilities, Wormuth attended the Munich Security Conference where she met General Darryl A. Williams, who is not only NATO’s Commander for Allied Land Command but also the Commanding General of Army Europe – Africa.
