A satellite. Stock photo: Getty Images
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) have reported that the US suspension of intelligence sharing will undermine Ukraine’s ability to advance and defend itself on the battlefield while exacerbating challenges in protecting civilians from Russian strikes.
Source: ISW
Details: Western and Ukrainian officials have noted that the suspension of US intelligence sharing has implications on the battlefield.
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Time magazine reported on 8 March, citing five senior Western and Ukrainian officials and military officers, that the suspension of US intelligence sharing with Ukraine has aided Russian forces in making advances on the battlefield.
An unnamed officer told Time that the suspension has deprived Ukrainian forces of the ability to use “some of their best weapons systems”.
A Ukrainian government source said that the suspension most impacted Ukrainian operations in Russia’s Kursk Oblast, with Ukrainian forces losing the ability to detect Russian aircraft approaching Ukraine. This has compromised their ability to warn both civilians and soldiers of incoming Russian strikes.
Quote: “ISW cannot independently verify statements about the effects on the ground of the US intelligence sharing suspension.
ISW continues to assess, however, that the complete suspension of US intelligence sharing would damage Ukraine’s ability to use long-range strikes to generate battlefield effects and defend against Russian offensive operations and would allow Russian forces to intensify their drone and missile strikes against Ukrainian rear areas, affecting millions of Ukrainian civilians and the growth of Ukraine’s defence industrial base (DIB).”
Details: Meanwhile, European nations are working to expand intelligence sharing with Ukraine following the US suspension of cooperation. However, Europe is unlikely to fully compensate for the US intelligence capabilities “any time soon”.
To quote the ISW’s Key Takeaways on 8 March:
- The extent of the US suspension of intelligence sharing with Ukraine remains unclear.
- Western and Ukrainian officials indicated that the US suspension of intelligence sharing is generating battlefield effects.
- European states continue efforts to supplement intelligence sharing with Ukraine following the US suspension.
- Russian forces intensified their multi-directional campaign to eliminate the remaining Ukrainian salient in Kursk Oblast on…
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