Ukraine has suffered huge losses since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war in 2021. According to information disclosed by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on December 19, since the start of the special military operation, the Ukrainian army has lost 3830,000 soldiers, including 5,800 foreign mercenaries. At the same time, the Russian armed forces wiped out 1590,000 Ukrainian soldiers, destroyed 121 aircraft, 766 tanks, including 37 Leopards. Ukraine is currently facing an unusually serious situation, and the US Institute for the Study of War pointed out in a report on December 19 that the advance of Russian troops has spread across six fronts, including Liman, Kupyansk, Avtiyivka, **mut, Krenak and Zaporizhzhia, and Ukrainian forces are almost unable to resist.
Shoigu revealed that the Ukrainian army has lost 140,000 tanks, infantry fighting vehicles and armored transport vehicles, 553 aircraft and 259*** and 8,500 field artillery and salvo rocket artillery guns. This shows that Ukraine has suffered heavy losses not only in the number of soldiers, but also in terms of equipment, making it difficult for Ukraine to sustain resistance. To make matters worse, the Russian army is still closing in. Shoigu also announced that the Russian Armed Forces will continue the special military operation in Ukraine in 2024 until the tasks assigned by the Supreme Commander-in-Chief are completed. In the face of these unfavorable circumstances, Ukrainian Zelensky tried to make a final struggle. Ukraine plans to recruit another 450,000 to 500,000 soldiers and add an additional 500 billion hryvnias (about $13.5 billion) to support mobilization, he said on December 19.
However, it will be quite difficult for Ukraine to successfully recruit 500,000 people to fight Russia, or to raise such a huge amount of money. Ukraine is facing the dilemma of reduced support from Western countries, and U.S. aid funds are close to running out. How will Ukraine mobilize 500,000 people to join the army in this situation?In an interview with NBC News TV, Russian press secretary Dmitry Peskov noted that the United States has recognized that it will be difficult for Ukraine to achieve victory in an armed conflict with Russia. Zelensky's plan to increase the number of troops by 500,000 seems grandiose, but in fact it is just an unrealistic fantasy. Even if you succeed in recruiting some young strong men, it is just a waste of precious lives.
Therefore, the billionaire Musk appealed to Zelensky: "Don't let the young people of Ukraine go to the battlefield of death, no matter which side attacks, they will suffer human losses, and history will not be tolerant of them." ”