In a recent revelation based on confidential documents leaked from Moscow, Russia appears to be preparing for a prolonged engagement in Ukraine, with preparations indicating a commitment to “multiple more years of fighting.” The information emerged through an intelligence update from the Ministry of Defense (MoD).
The core of this perspective arises from documents believed to come from the Russian Ministry of Finance, which imply a staggering increase in defense spending. The leaked figures foresee an increase of more than two thirds, reaching around 10.8 billion rubles.
The Defense Ministry report further emphasized that while such a high level of spending could be sustainable until 2024, it would come at the expense of the broader Russian economy.
The document’s commentary says: “Full details on Russian defense spending are always classified, but these figures suggest that Russia is preparing for many more years of fighting in Ukraine.”
Previously, there was a degree of ambiguity regarding British involvement, prompting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to clarify statements made by Defense Secretary Grant Shapps. Shapps had hinted at the possibility of British troops training Ukrainian forces on Ukrainian soil.
However, Prime Minister Sunak categorically ruled out deployment of British forces in Ukraine and emphasized that discussions about possible long-term plans were taking place in the Ministry of Defense.
Shapps had initially expressed a view of British troops training Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces directly in Ukraine, rather than in the UK. This proposal had raised concerns, with former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev stating that any British troops in Ukraine would become legitimate targets of Kremlin forces.
During a visit to Burnley ahead of the Conservative party conference in Manchester, Prime Minister Sunak sought to clarify the situation amid what he called “some erroneous reporting”. He stressed that the UK had been involved in training Ukrainian citizens and soldiers for an extended period within the UK itself.
Sunak elaborated, stating that the Defense Secretary’s comments referred to the possibility of some training inside Ukraine in the distant future, stressing that no British soldiers would be sent to take part in the current conflict. He stressed that the main objective remained the training of Ukrainians, a practice that was being carried out in the United Kingdom.
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