Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Qatar temporarily closes its airspace "for the safety of citizens, residents, and visitors."
Al Mayadeen: Israeli warplanes raid the outskirts of Al-Aishiya and Al-Mahmoudiya, Southern Lebanon.
Israeli media: Direct damage from Iranian bombing of "Israel" in one week is estimated at approximately 5 billion shekels (about $1.35 billion)
Unprovoked aggression against Iran has no basis or justification: Putin
Shahid Beheshti University Public Relations: The Israeli aggression targeted a building belonging to Shahid Beheshti University with the aim of sabotaging Iran's cultural and scientific infrastructure
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The Fordow nuclear facility was bombed once again, 24 hours after the US aggression.
Fars News Agency, citing informed sources: The Iranian Armed Forces used the Kheibar-Shekan, Emad, Ghadr, and Fattah missiles in their attacks on the Israeli entity today
Sirens sound from the occupied Golan Heights to Akka and Nahariya
Sirens sound again in the occupied Golan Heights and al-Jalil
Israeli media: Power outages reported in several settlements following a missile attack targeting an infrastructure facility

US covertly preparing for failed Ukrainian Spring operation: Politico

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Politico
  • 24 Apr 2023 19:03
  • 1 Shares
4 Min Read

The Biden administration fears that the operation fails to achieve its objectives, emboldening critics at home and abroad.

  • x
  • Ukrainian soldiers walk in the position close to Bakhmut, Ukraine, January 2023. (AP)
    Ukrainian soldiers walking in the position close to Bakhmut, Ukraine, January 2023 (AP)

The Biden administration is covertly getting prepared for a failed Ukrainian counteroffensive and its repercussions, a new report by Politico revealed.

The Biden administration fears that the operation falls short to achieve its objectives, causing resentment among both sides, whether those in support of a prolonged war or those who are calling for a settlement, the report added, citing unnamed top US officials.

One side would accuse the US of failing to provide Kiev with longer-range missiles, fighter jets, and additional air defenses, while the other would say that doing so, i.e. the provision of arms, was to no avail, the report pointed out.

The report further recalled that US officials have warned Ukraine about the repercussions of overextending its aspirations and stressing its troops — the same warning the Biden administration delivered to the former Afghan government as the Taliban made nationwide advances during the US hasty withdrawal in 2021.

Earlier this month, Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said, as quoted by The Hill, that Kiev could begin a counteroffensive as late as this summer. However, US media reports claimed that the operation was planned for April 30.

Last week, a Ukrainian politician was quoted as saying that Ukraine planned for its counteroffensive in April but had been forced to delay it indefinitely due to a lack of munitions.

Pentagon leaks show Kiev faces critical shortages in munition supplies

Ukraine is facing a more difficult "uphill struggle than the Western narrative would have us believe," according to a report by UnHerd published on Wednesday.

Related News

Former Biden spox. Matthew Miller says 'Israel' committed war crimes

FBI reopens investigations from Biden era, including WH cocaine file

The report cited the recent Pentagon leaks, saying that the Ukrainian army is facing massive shortages, especially in munition supplies. 

Artillery ammunition is being used up by the nation's units at a breakneck rate, estimated at 7,700 shells every day, or about one shell every six seconds. This means that Kiev is outpacing Western production capacities and has forced Kiev to ration artillery usage on the battlefield.

In contrast, Russian forces are launching almost 3 times as many shells a day, estimated at 20,000. 

However, the most distressful of shortages to the Ukrainian army is that of anti-air defense ammunition, particularly of Soviet-era S-300 and Buk systems which make up around 89% of Ukrainian air defenses against Russian targets. 

The ammunition for these surface-to-air missile systems is produced mainly in Russia, which of course Kiev cannot access. What is even more troublesome is that NATO-supplied NASAMS and IRIS-T batteries are also critically low on supplies.

Another document examined by the news website shows that the counteroffensive planned by Ukraine in Spring is projected to fall short of its supposed objectives. 

The document explains that “enduring Ukrainian deficiencies in training and munitions supplies probably will strain progress and exacerbate casualties during the offensive.”

The army is expected to be highly susceptible to air attacks, as its defense capabilities are hindered by munition shortages. This means that it will be exponentially more difficult to deploy ground forces on the frontlines as they will be subject to air raids.

Western critics seem to understand that there is little chance of a successful Ukrainian offensive in Spring, as the possibility of forcing Russian forces out of Crimea and the Donbass seems marginal.

According to Richard Haass and Charles Kupchan of Foreign Affairs, supplying Ukraine with more tools to extend the war instead of negotiating a peace deal between the warring parties is delusional. 

Read more: Macron asks China to broker deal between Ukraine, Russia before summer

  • Biden administration
  • counteroffensive
  • Russia
  • US
  • Ukraine

Most Read

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Israeli workers survey the site where a missile launched from Iran struck in Haifa on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

True Promise 3, wave 20: 40 missiles launched, Kheibar-Shekan in first

  • Politics
  • 22 Jun 2025
Rescue team work at the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)

Wave 12 of Operation True Promise 3 launched, Sejjil deployed: IRGC

  • Politics
  • 18 Jun 2025
Iran launches missile barrage to Tel Aviv, casualties reported

True Promise 3, wave 14: Tel Aviv targeted, casualties reported

  • Politics
  • 19 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno speaks with the media as he arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers at the European Council building in Brussels, Monday, June 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
Politics

Spain seeks immediate suspension of EU association pact with 'Israel'

Israeli settlers evacuate a building damaged in an Iranian missile strike in Tel Aviv, Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Tel Aviv streets ghostly; settlers flee under Iranian missile fire

Trump’s secret Iran strike uncovered in explosive CNN report
Politics

Behind the scenes: Trump's decision to strike Iran mapped - CNN

The oil tanker Palanca Rio arrives in Portland, Maine, the United States, Wednesday, April 2, 2025 (AP)
Economy

Oil prices spike as US-Israeli aggression on Iran sparks concerns

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS