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Austin: Russia relying on N. Korea, Iran as war costs mount

Pentagon chief added that in order to hold its gains in Ukraine Russia would need “substantial forces.”

byOrysia Hrudka

09/01/2025

2 minute read

The head of the Pentagon Lloyd Austin in Brussels, 2023. Photo: Depositphotos

Austin: Russia relying on N. Korea, Iran as war costs mount

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin challenged the perception of Russia’s dominance in the war, highlighting complex challenges facing the Kremlin’s military ambitions, Bloomberg reports.

“There’s a thought that Russia has the ultimate hand here and it has every advantage,” Austin told Bloomberg News during an interview in Ramstein, Germany. “It has some advantages, but it doesn’t completely dominate this equation here. And if it gets what it wants, it will cost them in the future.”

The timing of these statements is particularly relevant as the US approaches a transition of power, with President-elect Donald Trump signaling a potential shift in Ukraine policy after his 20 January inauguration.

The outgoing Pentagon chief’s remarks come at a critical juncture, as Russia has sought external support for its military operations.

“They’ve gone to DPRK, to Iran to get assistance, weapons and munitions and also now people,” Austin noted, addressing Russia’s international partnerships.

Austin emphasized the significant logistical challenges Russia would face in maintaining control over occupied territories. “Russia will have to invest a lot of land forces to hold it,” he stated, pointing to the long-term strategic implications of territorial occupation.

Defending the Biden administration’s Ukraine strategy against criticism, Austin highlighted: “What it did was it helped Ukraine survive, it helped Ukraine defend its sovereign territory.” He particularly emphasized the significant toll on Russian forces, noting that “The loss of 700,000 troops killed and wounded – that would’ve been beyond imagination three years ago.”

Austin also drew attention to broader geopolitical implications, particularly regarding Russia’s diminished capacity to support its interests in other regions, including Syria and Africa, due to its commitment in Ukraine. This strategic overextension, according to Austin, has limited Putin’s ability to maintain influence in these crucial areas.

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