Western Sanctions Crippling Russia's War vs Ukraine

US and British officials believe that damaging international sanctions slapped on Russia over its full-scale invasion of Ukraine are hampering its ability to restock high-tech weapons, such as precision-guided munitions, though Russia still has plenty of conventional ammunition stocks at its disposal to continue to wage war, Foreign Policy Pentagon reporter Jack Detsch wrote.

Photo Insert: United Kingdom intelligence claims Russia has lost a third of its best fighting soldiers on the battlefields of Ukraine.

The impact of Russia’s sanctions-induced high-tech military shortages have been spotted by Western governments, as Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered troops into the besieged steel factory in the city of Mariupol, Ukraine, while Russian pilots have rained down “dumb bombs” without advanced precision guidance kits into the city.

United Kingdom intelligence claims Russia has lost a third of its best fighting soldiers on the battlefields of Ukraine.

The Russian military burned through much of its stockpile of advanced weapons in the early days of the war; the United States believes Russia may have fired as many as 12 hypersonic missiles into Ukraine.

US-led export controls announced in late February sought to starve Russia of computer chips and semiconductors that could be used in advanced military equipment.

“Our sanctions and export controls were designed to deny Russia the critical inputs it needs to continue the war against Ukraine and to degrade its ability to project power in the future,” said Wally Adeyemo, deputy secretary of the US Treasury Department.

“We have disrupted the Russian military supply chain and overall production, inhibited its defense sector from settling payments, and will continue to target Russia’s ability to restock, resupply, and rebuild.”

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