Russia is gaining the advantage in the war in Ukraine, with more troops and materiel supplied by China, North Korea, and other countries, according to Norway’s intelligence service. Nils Andreas Stensones, head of the military intelligence unit, warned that Kyiv would need “extensive” Western military aid to turn the situation around. He stated that Russia “could mobilize around three times more troops than Ukraine,” and is receiving military support from North Korea, Iran, Belarus, and China.
Stensones highlighted Ukraine’s requests for munitions, long-distance weapons, air defenses, tanks, and fighter jets. Norway, Denmark, and the Netherlands have agreed to provide Ukraine with the F-16 fighter jets it has requested from its allies. Norwegian Defense Minister Bjorn Arild Gram said that Norway and Europe must be ready to take more responsibility to ensure their own security and that of their allies.
The United States has been Kyiv’s main military donor since Russia’s invasion in February 2022, but Congress has failed to agree on new aid, putting greater responsibility on Europe to step up.
