U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley Says Donbas Is 'Not Lost Yet'

 

Business Insider: Russia has only gained 'maybe 6 to 10 miles' of territory since war pivoted to eastern Ukraine, top US general says 

* The top US general said Russia has only gained a few miles of territory in eastern Ukraine. 

* "Advances are measured in literally hundreds of meters," Gen. Mark Milley said on Wednesday. 

* He said fighting in the Donbas region is "very intense" with "a lot of violence." 

Russian forces have only gained a few miles of territory since the war pivoted to eastern Ukraine, the top US general said — highlighting how much the five-month-long campaign has turned into a slow and bloody grind. 

Speaking during a press conference at the Pentagon on Wednesday, Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said Ukraine has "fought the Russians very effectively" and over the last few months, "Russian advances have amounted to maybe six to 10 miles — something of that range."  

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Update: Top U.S. General Milley says Donbas 'not lost yet' (Reuters).  

WNU Editor: US General Milley's remarks illustrates the differences between current U.S. and Russia military doctrine. The U.S. is focused on seizing and taking territory. Russian military doctrine is focused on destroying the enemy's military. 

Case in point. 

In the last Iraq war the U.S. military was focused on seizing Baghdad as quick as possible while bypassing Iraqi military formations. A feat that was accomplished within 6 weeks on mostly open desert terrain. Unfortunately, the Pentagon then spent the next decade fighting against the remnants of the Iraqi military. 

The Russian military doctrine/strategy is different. It is now focused on destroying the professional elements of the Ukraine army, and taking territory that has been abandoned. A strategy that even Ukraine President Zelensky is hinting is successful as evident by him and his government's continuous pleas for more Western arms and supplies to replace what has been lost. 

As to General Milley's remarks that Russia has gained little if any territory in eastern Ukraine. The BBC map below paints a different story.