US legislator calls for accurate casualty numbers from Ukraine
A lawmaker has emphasized that the US Congress must understand the magnitude of Kiev's losses before proceeding with further funding for the war effort. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Congress should understand the situation before continuing to fund Kiev’s war effort, a Republican representative has argued.
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has called for transparent information regarding Ukraine’s casualties in its conflict with Russia as a prerequisite for sanctioning additional military aid to Kiev. He has accused U.S. officials of keeping Congress uninformed on the matter.
This summer, the Kentucky representative proposed an amendment to the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act, which mandates a “report on the casualty and equipment losses for both sides involved in the conflict.” Massie noted that the amendment has received approval from the House and is set to be assessed by the Senate.
In a recent interview with the ‘Responsible Statecraft’ online magazine, Massie stated that American security and foreign policy officials have been notably evasive about casualty figures since the onset of the war.
He recounted how intelligence officials sidestepped his inquiries during a closed briefing earlier this year. “They really didn't have an excuse, other than they weren't really sure, which seems like an incredible lie,” the Republican expressed.
Massie also indicated that even House Speaker Mike Johnson remains unaware of the true casualty figures.
“I think it's obvious that they're just feeding us propaganda in classified settings, and then I think it's also true that the Speaker himself has been a subject of propaganda and lacks the curiosity to even question the narrative that we're being fed,” he remarked.
According to him, Washington is providing only one side of the story to encourage continued financial and military support. The congressman argued that the State Department fears that any negative developments regarding the war could lead Congress to hesitate in funding it further.
Congress must have a complete understanding, including the “bad news,” before making any commitments to support Kiev moving forward, Massie believes. “If they are worried that knowing this number might diminish the appetite for funding the war, then that’s the main reason that Congress needs to know the casualty numbers,” he stated.
Kiev has been reticent to disclose information regarding its losses in the conflict. Recently, Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky accused the Wall Street Journal of dishonesty after it reported that around 80,000 Ukrainian troops had been killed and 400,000 wounded. In February, Zelensky had reported 31,000 Ukrainian military casualties over two years of combat. However, The Washington Post later indicated that the Ukrainian leader had “vastly downplayed” the actual toll.
Russia has previously estimated Ukrainian losses at approximately half a million troops. While Moscow does not provide specific casualty figures for its own forces, President Vladimir Putin indicated in June that Russia's losses were “one to about five” in its favor.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has called for transparent information regarding Ukraine’s casualties in its conflict with Russia as a prerequisite for sanctioning additional military aid to Kiev. He has accused U.S. officials of keeping Congress uninformed on the matter.
This summer, the Kentucky representative proposed an amendment to the upcoming National Defense Authorization Act, which mandates a “report on the casualty and equipment losses for both sides involved in the conflict.” Massie noted that the amendment has received approval from the House and is set to be assessed by the Senate.
In a recent interview with the ‘Responsible Statecraft’ online magazine, Massie stated that American security and foreign policy officials have been notably evasive about casualty figures since the onset of the war.
He recounted how intelligence officials sidestepped his inquiries during a closed briefing earlier this year. “They really didn't have an excuse, other than they weren't really sure, which seems like an incredible lie,” the Republican expressed.
Massie also indicated that even House Speaker Mike Johnson remains unaware of the true casualty figures.
“I think it's obvious that they're just feeding us propaganda in classified settings, and then I think it's also true that the Speaker himself has been a subject of propaganda and lacks the curiosity to even question the narrative that we're being fed,” he remarked.
According to him, Washington is providing only one side of the story to encourage continued financial and military support. The congressman argued that the State Department fears that any negative developments regarding the war could lead Congress to hesitate in funding it further.
Congress must have a complete understanding, including the “bad news,” before making any commitments to support Kiev moving forward, Massie believes. “If they are worried that knowing this number might diminish the appetite for funding the war, then that’s the main reason that Congress needs to know the casualty numbers,” he stated.
Kiev has been reticent to disclose information regarding its losses in the conflict. Recently, Ukraine’s President Vladimir Zelensky accused the Wall Street Journal of dishonesty after it reported that around 80,000 Ukrainian troops had been killed and 400,000 wounded. In February, Zelensky had reported 31,000 Ukrainian military casualties over two years of combat. However, The Washington Post later indicated that the Ukrainian leader had “vastly downplayed” the actual toll.
Russia has previously estimated Ukrainian losses at approximately half a million troops. While Moscow does not provide specific casualty figures for its own forces, President Vladimir Putin indicated in June that Russia's losses were “one to about five” in its favor.
James del Carmen for TROIB News
