Putin Admits Russia Doesn't Have Enough Modern Weapons
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday spoke about what many believe is the beginning of Ukraine's highly anticipated counteroffensive and stated his forces currently don't have a sufficient amount of modern weapons.
Kremlin officials, as well as numerous media outlets, have reported that Ukraine has launched its counteroffensive against Russia in the war that Putin launched more than 15 months ago. Kyiv has not announced the start of the counteroffensive, with officials from the country in recent days stating that offensive strikes do not signal the start of the military campaign.
"We can state with absolute certainty that this Ukrainian counteroffensive has begun, and the use of strategic reserves points to it," Putin said during press conference in Sochi, according to the Russian state media outlet RT.
RT also wrote that Putin "acknowledged that Moscow's troops are facing shortages of modern weapons, and expressed hope that the country's military industry will soon be able to satisfy growing demand."
A T-34 tank is seen during a rehearsal of the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 4. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said his military lacks modern weapons. KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV/AFP via Getty Images
Though the Russian leader didn't offer any further specifics about the modern weapons he feels his country is lacking, his forces have expended a great deal of munitions during the war. In addition, the rate of Moscow's missile attacks have also increased in recent weeks.
World officials have speculated for months that Putin could soon run out of his modern missiles, while reports have suggested that his military has resorted to pulling old tanks out of storage due to heavy losses of armored vehicles in Ukraine.
Guy McCardle, managing editor of Special Operations Forces Report (SOFREP), told Newsweek that he believes Russia is running low on certain types of weapons" before noting "it is out of character for Putin to admit it."
"Specifically, they're running short on main battle tanks and ballistic missiles," McCardle said. "This is evidenced by the fact that they are using so many glider bombs today. They still have cruise missiles, but these, of course, are very expensive, and they just can't be firing them off at will."
McCardle added that despite Putin's wishes, his weapons manufacturers have been slowed down.
"This is due to international sanctions that affects the parts that are used to make the weaponry," he said.
Tass, another Russian state news agency, reported that Putin also said during the Sochi press conference that Ukraine has not been successful with its counteroffensive.
"The Ukrainian troops did not achieve their goals and objectives in any of the areas of hostilities," he said, per Tass.
Putin added that it is not known "whether the [Ukrainian] offensive has bogged down or not," before adding that "it can be stated that all attempts made so far by the counteroffensive have failed."
However, he reportedly warned that "the offensive potential of the troops of the Kyiv regime still remains."
Newsweek reached out to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs via email for comment.
While Putin hinted that his country's arsenal may be insufficient in certain areas, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has benefited from modern weapons supplied to his country by his Western allies.
The United States alone has provided Zelensky with weapons such M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), FGM-148 Javelin antitank guided missile systems and more than 100 Bradley Fighting Vehicles. The Biden administration has also promised Ukraine 31 Abrams tanks, which will be ready for combat later this year.
Source: Newsweek
