A FORMER CIA DIRECTOR has criticized Russia’s ill-equipped military, claiming that the first phase of the war was hampered by intelligence flaws and inadequate military weaponry.

Russia’s troops experienced a huge military setback in Ukraine’s capital region, where they were forced to retire due to stiff resistance and inadequate resources. Ukraine reports that 18,900 Russian soldiers have died since the start of the war, while Britain estimates that the death toll is closer to 15,000 servicemen. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russia’s death toll undoubtedly exceeds that of Ukrainian military personnel. In light of this, former CIA Director David Petraeus believes Vladimir Putin’s army may not be as well-equipped as the West believes.

General David Petraeus told Andrew Neil on the Backstory podcast: “We’ve not seen them perform big operations. And yet, we knew that they had quote modernised their force race substantially literally on display at various junctures over the years.

“Only to find out that they really didn’t modernise all that much of their force.

“When you look at the sinking of the Moskva for example, it’s very clear that the kinds of upgrades that are necessary for fire suppression, for shutting off portions of a ship that are flooding, in the training of their sailors to combat that kind of challenge – all of that was lacking.

“And that’s why their warship is now at the bottom of the Black Sea.”

The Russian Black Fleet flagship Moksva sank in the Black Sea, 100 kilometers from the port city of Odesa, after severe fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces. While Ukrainian officials said their soldiers attacked and set fire to the cruiser, Russian officials claimed the Moksva capsized. The cause of the sinking has yet to be independently confirmed.

 For the latest International News Follow BOL News on Google News. Read more on Latest International News on oldsite.bolnews.com