Russia’s armed forces could seize and overrun Kiev in as little as three days should its troops launch an all-out invasion of Ukraine, a top Pentagon official is said to have warned as tensions between the two former Soviet republics continue to flare.
In a report on Sunday, right-wing American network Fox News claimed that Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley had cautioned lawmakers about Moscow’s potential military might during closed-door briefings last week.
According to Fox, which cites multiple unnamed “congressional sources,” Milley estimated that “a full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine could result in the fall of Kiev within 72 hours, and could come at a cost of 15,000 Ukrainian troop deaths and 4,000 Russian troop deaths.”
Some legislators present at the meetings, said to have taken place on February 2-3, allegedly expressed concern that Washington “did not respond quickly to provide Ukraine with significant military aid, such as anti-aircraft and rocket launcher systems that would defend against an invasion from Russia.” Meanwhile, officials argued that Moscow could use the delivery of arms as grounds for launching an attack.