Huge casualties in the Russian army

“The Russian side is suffering enormous personnel losses. They are losing around 35,000 people every month. For comparison, during the entire ten years of the war in Afghanistan, the USSR lost 20,000 people. That’s an astonishing figure. Despite the stalemate, they continue to suffer colossal losses every day. It’s unbelievable,” noted Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, in an interview with the RBK-Ukraine agency.

Despite these massive losses, Russia remains one of the greatest threats to NATO. “We must be fully aware of what lies ahead. We anticipate a continued expansion of the Russian military machine. We will counter this by developing our own capabilities — everything we plan to acquire and procure in the near and long-term future. This is directly linked to the nature of the threats we face,” the admiral added.

As part of its neo-imperial policy, Russia seeks to reclaim territories that were once under Soviet control. Among NATO members, the Baltic states are considered the most vulnerable. Admiral Dragone pays particular attention to statements from Baltic officials, who currently report no direct threat. “No one can provide more accurate information about the evolving situation than those who are directly monitoring the aggressor’s actions along their borders.”

Dragone emphasised that Ukraine makes a tremendous contribution to NATO’s security. Through the Joint Analysis, Training and Education Centre (JATEC), Ukraine shares its frontline experience with the Alliance. He also highlighted the work of Ukrainian specialists in the Persian Gulf states, where they assist in repelling Iranian air attacks.