Ukraine needs Western air-defense systems, and a sustainable supply of artillery ammunition. Even with some help from Iran, the Russians face a far more serious munitions shortage, given an industrial base that was struggling even before the West hit Moscow with brutal economic sanctions. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, is banking on a pitiless air campaign against civilians to make up for the pitiful performance of his ground troops. Exact figures are hard to come by - the new Republican House majority is calling for an audit - but even with stepped-up European help, the pace is unsustainable for a superpower facing a far greater threat across the Pacific. By May, and a quarter of the Pentagon's Stinger anti-aircraft missiles were gone. In the first six weeks of the war alone, according to congressional testimony of US Joint Chiefs Chairman General Mark Milley, the West delivered 60,000 antitank weapons and 25,000 anti-aircraft weapons to the Ukrainians. But let's face it: Without Western-supplied arms, Kyiv would likely be a vassal to Moscow already. Ukraine has displayed remarkable bravery, clever tactics and phenomenal leadership in fending off Russia. (Or my bet: neither.) In any case, the reference is to the importance keeping your forces well-provisioned, with food in particular, but also medical supplies, spare parts, communications equipment, weaponry and - most significantly at the moment - munitions. "An army marches on its stomach," said Napoleon.
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