Pentagon: Ukraine can 'absolutely' win the war against Russia

Ukraine can "absolutely" win the war against Russia, Pentagon officials said on Wednesday, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.

"Of course they can win this," Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said: “The proof is literally in the outcomes that you’re seeing everyday ... absolutely they can win.”

Russia's Putin has so far achieved "exactly zero" of his strategic objectives inside Ukraine, Kerby reminded.

"He didn’t take Kyiv. He didn’t topple the government. He didn’t remove Ukraine as a nation state... Mariupol is still not taken. He’s moved his forces out of Kyiv. He’s moved his forces out of Chernihiv. They haven’t taken Kharkiv. They haven’t taken Mykolayiv in the south" - Kerby explained. adding that the "proof is literally in the outcomes that you’re seeing every day."

"The Ukrainians are bravely fighting for their country. And they have denied Mr. Putin so many of his strategic objectives. So absolutely, they can win,” he said.

Kurby also said that the United States, along with our allies and partners, will "continue to work closely with our Ukrainian partners to evaluate their specific requirements, to ensure that our assistance meets their highest priority needs, as again they continue to courageously defend their country,"

The U.S. has agreed to send 100 Switchblade unmanned systems, or drones, to the Ukrainians, Kirby said, adding that those drones are already in Ukraine or will be arriving there shortly.  "We're in discussions with Ukrainians about future ... usages of Switchblade drones, and of course we'll keep that option open going forward." .

A small number of Ukrainian soldiers already in the U.S. have been trained on how to use Switchblade tactical drones as the U.S. military sends more of the vehicle-destroying weapons to Ukraine.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed a day prior that Switchblades are being sent to Ukraine as part of a $300 million lethal aid package announced by the Pentagon on Friday. He did not say how many, though multiple outlets have reported that 10 of the drones will be delivered. 

Along with the $300 million in military assistance announced last month, Kirby said, the total U.S. security assistance commitment to Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion has been more than $1.7 billion. 

Alex Raufoglu

Washington D.C.