Moscow is not capable of “significant breakthroughs” in Ukraine, says NATO Secretary General

Russia is not capable of making “significant breakthroughs” on the battlefield in Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday.

“They have tried to launch an offensive again since the spring but so far have made only limited gains (…) We have no other indication or reason to believe that Russia has the capabilities or the strength to achieve significant breakthroughs,” he explained in an interview with AFP.

The Ukrainians were “able to hold”

The head of NATO, who also affirmed that the United States will remain a “strong ally” within the alliance whatever the result of the elections, however stressed that Russian forces would probably continue to push on the different fronts and to increase air attacks.

Moscow launched a new major offensive in northeastern Ukraine on May 10. The Ukrainian forces, after having had to give ground, blocked the Russian advance in Vovchansk, a town located five kilometers from the Russian border, after however losing control of several villages.