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UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace
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Since Ukraine recaptured the city of Cherson in the south of the country, talk of a decisive victory has been heard in the West.
However, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace has warned against too much euphoria: Despite the Ukrainian recapture of Cherson, Moscow is still a long way from giving up, Wallace told Times Radio on Sunday.
"Ukraine has momentum," Wallace said.
The war is currently developing in the direction of Ukraine.
Still, Wallace warned that it would be "foolish" to view Russia's withdrawal from Kherson as the end of the war.
“No one underestimates Russia.
Russia is far from giving up,” Wallace added.
Moscow is "concerned" about the recent defeat.
Still, "If they need more cannon fodder, they'll get it," Wallace said of the recent mobilization in Russia.
He also referred to the planned military exercises at Russian schools.
"That's the way of the regime we're dealing with."
The recapture of Kherson shows Ukraine's extraordinary capabilities and raises questions for the people of Russia as to whether the war is worth all the hardships and sacrifices.
Wallace said it was entirely up to Ukraine whether it wanted to start negotiations.
"First of all, we shouldn't be grateful when a thief returns stolen goods - after all, that's what Russia did," the minister said.
Now Russia will announce everywhere that one should be grateful for the withdrawal from the big city.
"No, you shouldn't, Russia shouldn't have done that in February," Wallace said, referring to the February 24 attack.
military education in schools
The Kremlin wants to try to increase the willingness of young people to mobilize and do military service with planned compulsory military training in schools.
This was announced by the Ministry of Defense in London on Sunday, citing intelligence findings.
The training aims to equip students approaching draft age with military skills.
"This initiative is also likely part of a broader project to instill in the Russian people an ideology of patriotism and trust in public institutions," it said.
The Russian Ministry of Defense supports the program and has stipulated that at least 140 hours in the academic year are earmarked for the so-called military preparation course, the British authority said.
The training should start in September 2023.
Similar programs involving preparations for a chemical or nuclear attack, first aid, and gunnery training had also existed in the Soviet Union but had been discontinued in 1993.
The Russian authorities wanted to resume training after the annexation of the Ukrainian Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, it said in London.
"There was a hope that this initiative would improve the quality of the conscripts." But that didn't happen. In fact, morale was low and training limited.
A new training program is currently being put together and should be available by the end of the year.
The British Ministry of Defense has published daily information on the course of the war since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine at the end of February, citing intelligence information.
Moscow accuses London of a disinformation campaign.
col/sak/Reuters/AP/dpa
