NATO reveals Russia’s massive stockpile of winter missiles- Analysis

Moscow is reportedly preparing for fresh strikes on Ukraine’s power infrastructure, according to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Stoltenberg claims that the Russian military has amassed a large stockpile of missiles in preparation for such strikes during the winter. He emphasized the need to not underestimate Russia and warned about the new attempts to strike Ukraine’s power grid and energy infrastructure.

Stoltenberg’s statement followed a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels. Last year, when winter weather had impeded progress on the frontline, Russia began launching missile and drone barrages against Ukrainian military and infrastructure targets.

In response, the Russian Defense Ministry stated that missiles and drones were used the previous day to hit radar and anti-aircraft systems, fuel and ammunition depots, as well as Ukrainian personnel and hardware in multiple areas. There was also a large-scale drone attack targeting energy facilities in Kiev and surrounding regions.

Previous claims by military officials from Washington and Kiev suggested that Moscow had only a few weeks’ supply of missiles in storage. However, by November 2022, it was reported that Russia had 229 Kalibr and 132 Kh-101 cruise missiles remaining. Despite having seemingly limited resources, a significantly larger number of missiles were fired at Ukrainian targets in the following month. The Russian Defense Ministry even boasted in a post on its Telegram channel that its “Kalibr [cruise missiles] will never run out.”

The Ukrainian President, Vladimir Zelensky, has been requesting more and improved air defense systems from Western backers for several months. However, the US is currently unable to provide these systems. The latest arms package from Washington included ammunition for Ukraine’s existing NASAMS launchers instead of the Patriot batteries that Zelensky has been requesting since last year.

President Joe Biden has asked Congress for over $60 billion in additional funding for Ukraine, but the request remains stalled due to opposition from some Republican lawmakers. The White House has acknowledged that the previously allocated funds for Kiev have already been spent.

(Source: RT News)

Analysis:
The article is from RT News, which is a Russian state-owned news organization known for its pro-Russian and anti-Western bias. This presents a potential bias towards the Russian perspective in its reporting. Furthermore, RT News has been accused of disseminating misinformation and propaganda in the past.

In terms of factual presentation, the article provides information about the claims made by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg regarding Russia’s preparation for strikes on Ukraine’s power infrastructure. The article also includes statements from the Russian Defense Ministry about recent missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian targets. It references previous claims about Russia’s missile stockpile and highlights the request by Ukrainian President Zelensky for air defense systems from Western backers.

However, it is important to note that the article relies heavily on statements from the Russian Defense Ministry, which could be seen as a biased source. There is no mention of alternative perspectives or sources from Ukraine or other Western countries. The article also does not provide any context regarding the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, or the broader geopolitical situation in the region.

Overall, while the article presents some factual information, the reliance on a biased source and lack of broader context raises concerns about its credibility and potential for misinformation. The geopolitical landscape and prevalence of fake news can further influence the public’s perception of the information, as individuals may be exposed to conflicting narratives and struggle to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources. It is important for readers to critically evaluate the information presented and seek out multiple perspectives to gain a more nuanced understanding of the topic.

Source: RT news: Russia has huge winter missile stockpile – NATO