US Sees Ukraine As "Active & Bountiful Military Research Opportunity"; WaPo Reports

Authored by Kyle Anzalone via The Libertarian Institute, 

American officials speaking with the Washington Post described the ongoing war in Ukraine as providing Washington with ample information about Russian war-fighting strategies. The report comes as Kiev struggles to field enough forces to prevent Moscow from capturing more territory. 

"The war remains an active and bountiful research opportunity for American military planners as they look to the future, officials say," the Post reported. A senior defense official explained, "We immersed them in this conflict to make sure they were understanding the implications for warfare." A second official told the outlet that the Ukraine war will be "an enduring resource."

While the information gained for the war may benefit Washington, Kiev is losing on the battlefield. According to a soldier who escaped the Avdiivka and spoke with the Associated Press, the Ukrainians were outnumbered five to one. Additionally, hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers were killed or captured as Russian forces conquered the city. 

Additionally, the AP explained that the manpower shortage is precluding military operations. The outlet reports, "[Ukrainian] Commanders say they don’t have enough soldiers to launch offensives, and barely enough to hold positions amid intensifying Russian assaults."

Kiev is struggling to recruit new soldiers, and Ukrainians are doing what they can to avoid conscription. One Ukrainian speaking with the AP about Kiev’s increasingly aggressive conscription policy lamented, "It’s a feeling that everyone wants to throw you in a meat grinder."

Washington and its NATO partners have viewed Ukraine as a proxy war to weaken Russia. While the Joe Biden administration has touted this policy as "for Ukraine," it has severely harmed the country. 

In the early months of the war, Kiev nearly reached an agreement with Moscow to end the conflict and Russian forces would withdraw to the pre-invasion lines. However, Washington and London pressured the Ukrainian leadership to abandon the diplomatic path. 

First footage of a Ukrainian M1A1 Abrams MBT in combat, sporting woodland camouflage, seen here shelling Russian positions in Stepove, Donetsk Oblast. pic.twitter.com/pv0VNIqiuQ

— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) February 23, 2024

Since then, Russia has annexed four Ukrainian oblasts and is advancing in key areas along the front. Ukraine is struggling to arm its forces and has suffered 500,000 casualties. Recently, the war has escalated to attacks on cities while Ukraine has suffered substantial infrastructure damage.