Elon Musk predicted that if the war drags on, Russia will gain more Ukrainian territory
Posted on X on March 30, billionaire Elon Musk said that the longer the Ukraine war drags on, the more territory Russia will gain
Elon Musk has repeatedly commented on Ukraine's military affairs. According to Musk, the longer the war, the more territory Russia will gain, until "they reach the city of Dnipro."
The real question, he warned, is how much territory Kyiv will lose and how many lives it will lose before it comes to the negotiating table with Russia.
The billionaire American businessman said anyone could have guessed that last summer's Ukrainian counteroffensive would ultimately fail. He also stressed that even if Kiev follows his recommendation to "entrench itself and mobilize all resources for defense, it will be "difficult to keep the land without a solid natural barrier."
He said Ukraine suffered heavy losses by attacking Russian forces that had large troops, deep defenses and much stronger artillery while Ukraine lacked armor and air superiority. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, more than 444,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed and wounded in two years of fighting, including more than 166,000 in last year's counteroffensive. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed in February that Kyiv had lost only 31,000 troops since the conflict began.
"Russia cannot control all of Ukraine because local resistance in the west will be extremely fierce, but they will definitely gain more territory than they have now," Musk said. He warned: "The longer the conflict drags on, the more territory Russia will gain until it hits the Dnipro, which is very difficult to overcome. However, if the conflict lasts long enough, Odesa is also at risk of falling."
Since Russia launched its military campaign in Ukraine, Odessa has been seen as one of Moscow's most important targets. If Russia manages to take control of Odessa, it could establish a corridor along Ukraine's coastline, completely isolating Kiev's access to the sea, but also establish a land corridor from mainland Russia, through Crimea, to Transdniestria, a Russian-speaking breakaway region of Moldova. where Russian troops are stationed.
The US billionaire added: "In my view, whether Ukraine will lose all access to the Black Sea is the real question that remains. In my opinion, Ukraine should pursue a negotiated solution before that happens." He did not call on Western allies and partners to increase aid to Ukraine. The aid has been stagnant since late last year after Kyiv's counteroffensive failed to achieve the expected results.
Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in early 2022, Elon Musk has changed his mind a few times. Initially, he supported Ukraine by providing free Starlink satellite communication equipment. However, he refused to activate the system to assist Ukraine in attacking Russia's Black Sea Fleet.
More than a year ago, he called on Ukraine to abandon its intention to retake Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014. He also asked Ukraine to declare neutrality, allowing 4 provinces of Donetsk, Lugansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia to hold referendums on joining Russia.
However, Ukrainian officials have repeatedly insisted that peace talks will only take place when Russia withdraws all its troops and restores Ukraine's 1991 borders.
