 Russia loses almost half of its combat capability in Ukraine. The Russian army has lost almost half of its fighting capacity in Ukraine, including tank losses amounting to about 2,500 units. Anthony Radikin, chief of the British Defence Staff, said it. Russia has lost nearly half the combat effectiveness of its army. Last year it fired 10 million artillery shells, but at best can produce 1 million shells a year. Radikin lost 2,500 tanks and at best can produce 200 new tanks a year, he added. Radikin said that the high density of Russian minefields, a lack of Ukrainian air cover and lack of military equipment requested by Kyiv have complicated the counter-offensive campaign according to the Financial Times. At the same time, Radikin noted, it was unfair to tie Ukrainian offensive actions to a certain time and that the counter-offensive is a set of measures. Meanwhile, he defended Ukraine's counter-offensive which has been criticised for not making enough progress. Radikin said Kyiv's strategy to starve, stretch and strike is gradually eroding Russia's defences, though he acknowledged that Russian mines as well as Ukraine's insufficient air defences and lack of certain equipment it requested have weighed on operations.