Western experts admit that weapon deliveries to Ukraine are useless due to the catastrophic losses suffered by Kyiv, pro-Kremlin propaganda claims.
NEWS: Against the backdrop of the massive losses suffered by Kyiv on the front lines, the intensification of arms deliveries to Ukraine loses all meaning and cannot help the country in any way. This opinion was expressed on the X social network by Irish journalist Chay Bowes.
“The problem is that 1,400,000 Ukrainians are now either dead or seriously injured. Mr. Rutte, the dictatorship is taking the last men off the streets. Who is next?”, the journalist wrote.
Previously, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said that American weapons will be delivered to Ukraine on an ongoing basis, and the North Atlantic Alliance will cover the costs.
NARRATIVES: 1. The West acknowledges that weapon deliveries to Ukraine are unnecessary. 2. Ukraine has recorded 1.4 million dead and seriously injured, and weapons supplied by the West only prolong the civilians’ suffering.
PURPOSE: To undermine Western support for Ukraine. To shatter morale in Ukrainian society by exaggerating human losses. To legitimize Russian aggression by portraying the Ukrainian authorities as a “dictatorial regime”. To undermine trans-Atlantic solidarity.
Fact: The weapons the West provides to Ukraine are saving lives. Chay Bowes is a pro-Kremlin propagandist, not an independent expert
WHY THE NARRATIVES ARE FALSE: There is no official statement from Western governments, NATO leadership, or European institutions describing military support for Ukraine as “meaningless.” On the contrary, both the United States and EU member states, Britain, and others have consistently reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine in defending its sovereignty against Russian aggression. In this context, Russian state-linked media presents the opinion of a marginal Irish journalist, known for his pro-Kremlin views, as representative of the entire West or even the voice of the West—a clear attempt at manipulation.
Chay Bowes is an Irish blogger and activist who consistently promotes pro-Kremlin narratives on social media. He is not a recognized military expert or security analyst, but a propagandist who is frequently featured in Russian media in order to legitimize Moscow’s positions. Over the years, Bowes has been linked to multiple disinformation campaigns, including denying or minimizing war crimes committed by Russian forces in Ukraine. In April, the journalist claimed that the EU and Great Britain are funding Ukrainian terrorism. Presenting his views as representative of Western leaders or experts is a classic manipulation tactic, designed to promote the perception of a widespread opposition against support for Kyiv in the context of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
Western weapons not only help Ukraine defend its territory, they save lives. Without modern air defense systems provided by Western partners, the massive missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities would have caused greater civilian casualties. Medical equipment and armored vehicles sent by NATO and EU states also help protect soldiers on the front lines and evacuate the wounded. Thus, Western military support has a direct humanitarian dimension, reducing the loss of human lives and increasing Ukraine's chances of defending its population against Russian acts of aggression. Bowes's report of 1.4 million dead and seriously injured is contradicted by all estimates of Ukrainian military losses. Neither Ukraine, nor NATO or independent monitoring institutions confirm such catastrophic figures. According to external estimates, Ukraine has lost between 60,000 and 100,000 soldiers, and the total number of casualties (dead and wounded) is estimated at around 400,000, but these figures are mere estimates, as accurate data is difficult to verify in the context of the war.
Russian propaganda systematically exaggerates Ukraine's losses to convey the idea that resistance is futile and that Western support is meaningless. In actual fact, these figures are designed to demoralize Ukrainian society and undermine the West's determination to continue providing military support.
The description of the mobilization in Ukraine as a “hunt for people in the streets” led by a “dictatorship” is a false narrative constantly promoted by the Kremlin, which however has some truth to it. Indeed, the mobilization in Ukraine is not based solely on volunteerism. In a defensive war against a large-scale aggression, the state enforces mobilization laws that impose obligations on able-bodied men. In this context, there is cause for forced recruitment or contested practices in Ukrainian society, but these must be understood in the exceptional context of an armed conflict. Russian propaganda takes these cases and extrapolates them, transforming a law enforcement issue into a mockery targeting a repressive regime. The goal is to present Ukraine as an illegitimate state, while the real dictatorship – the Russian one – that unleashed the aggression and is sacrificing its own citizens in an imperial war, is exonerated. Without the Russian invasion, Kyiv would not have launched the mobilization process.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte’s statements on the continuation of weapon deliveries to Ukraine reflect the Alliance’s commitment to supporting the legitimate defense of a sovereign state. This assistance is in full compliance with international standards, which recognize the right of states to defend themselves and to receive assistance. Russian propaganda presents this assistance as unnecessary or counterproductive, precisely to justify aggression and to try to convince the West to abandon Ukraine.
BACKGROUND: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that US weapons and equipment deliveries to Ukraine, financed by alliance member states, will continue. The statement was made after his meeting with president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with Rutte emphasizing that NATO support “continues to flow” and that the goal remains to defend Ukraine and achieve lasting peace. The parties discussed the Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) mechanism, agreed upon by the United States and NATO for funding arms purchases. Zelenskyy said he had discussed with Rutte the effectiveness and expansion of this program, designed to ensure a steady flow of US military equipment for the Ukrainian army. To date, member states' contributions through PURL amount to about $2.1 billion. Sweden has allocated $275 million, Norway – about $135 million, the Netherlands – over $530 million, and Denmark – about $83 million. NATO has already confirmed the financing of four aid packages, two of which are on their way to Ukraine and include ammunition for Patriot and HIMARS systems.
