Military intelligence is not fool proof. It is still subject to inaccuracy and counterintelligence. UK airforce thought Nazi Germany’s Luftwaffe outnumber them during the Battle of Britain, but it turned out to be the opposite. Similarly, US thought the Soviet Union has outsizedly more nuclear weapons, but it turned out it is the other way around. The Soviets in World War II had also been exemplary with feeding misinformation to the Germans.
The Ukrainian military is still an organ of the Ukrainian government, who still has intention to keep morale up of their own people while undermining the enemy’s. This is propaganda war as much as military one. After all, Kyiv admitted to having lied about the “Ghost of Kyiv” fighter ace pilot who supposedly shot down several Russian planes in the early days of the invasion. People cheered on that myth until confirmed to be untrue.
I’m not trying to undermine Ukraine’s claim or effort and sow complete mistrust on Ukraine in their struggle, but I would reserve skepticism every now and then when any belligerent nations make extraordinary claims which require extraordinary evidence. Truth is the first casualty of war after all.
However, bear in mind two things.
Military intelligence is not fool proof. It is still subject to inaccuracy and counterintelligence. UK airforce thought Nazi Germany’s Luftwaffe outnumber them during the Battle of Britain, but it turned out to be the opposite. Similarly, US thought the Soviet Union has outsizedly more nuclear weapons, but it turned out it is the other way around. The Soviets in World War II had also been exemplary with feeding misinformation to the Germans.
The Ukrainian military is still an organ of the Ukrainian government, who still has intention to keep morale up of their own people while undermining the enemy’s. This is propaganda war as much as military one. After all, Kyiv admitted to having lied about the “Ghost of Kyiv” fighter ace pilot who supposedly shot down several Russian planes in the early days of the invasion. People cheered on that myth until confirmed to be untrue.
I’m not trying to undermine Ukraine’s claim or effort and sow complete mistrust on Ukraine in their struggle, but I would reserve skepticism every now and then when any belligerent nations make extraordinary claims which require extraordinary evidence. Truth is the first casualty of war after all.