Vladimir Putin’s Troops Heading For Major Defeat In Ukraine By End Of Summer, Claims British Journalist

Russian military forces may be headed for a major defeat in its offensive against Ukraine by winter's end. Speculations on Putin’s war have analysts pinning on the Russian leader’s downfall as journalists continue to report extensive losses on Putin’s troops being hit hard by Ukrainian counter-offensives. Russia could lose its grip on its occupied territories by around autumn or winter’s end.

According to Express, British journalist John Sweeney believes the Kremlin is looking at a major setback in its “special military operations” in Ukraine and forecasts Russia is getting much weaker. Sweeney, who has been keeping close track of the war from Ukraine said the American rocket systems are performing very well and Ukrainian forces managed to “knock out a tonne of artillery dumps”.

"Therefore, I can see either this winter or this spring, a big defeat. For the Russian army, and then that will have a catastrophic effect on pushing his grip on power,” Sweeney said in a radio interview, citing Putin’s grip on power as looking much weaker than he is perceived.

Meanwhile, Russia’s Defense Ministry said Putin’s offensive in Ukraine seems to have come to a standstill in recent weeks despite gaining momentum from its capture of Luhansk province last month. Not much headway has been achieved by Russian troops and the Ukrainian army may be taking advantage of this as it is set to launch a major counter-offensive in the southern part of the country in an effort to take back Kherson city.

The recent turn of events may well have to do something with the delivery of state-of-the-art heavy artillery equipment from the United States and other NATO member allies. The arsenal includes M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) that have a range of 85 km, enabling Ukraine to destroy Russian ammunition dumps and command posts with incisive accuracy. The counter-offensive was able to effectively disrupt supply networks for Russian troops.

Defense analyst and director of the Moscow-based Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, Ruslan Pukhov predicted earlier on that Ukraine will reign superior in heavy artillery causing a shameful defeat by the end of summer for Putin. As it is, Moscow is scrambling to reinforce its troop numbers after suffering massive casualties.