US seeking to ensure Russia cannot 'bully' its neighbors: Defense chief

WASHINGTON

The US is seeking to ensure that Russia cannot "bully" its neighbors following its assault on Ukraine, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday.

"We do want to make it harder for Russia to threaten his neighbors and, and leave them less able to do that," Austin told reporters at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

Over the course of Russia's 62-day war the Russian military has become "weaker" due to "pretty substantial" casualties, and a significant loss of military equipment, the Pentagon chief said.

"It will be harder for them to replace some of this capability as they go forward, because of the sanctions and the trade restrictions that have been placed on them," he said. "And so we would like to make sure that they don't have the same type of capability to bully their neighbors that we saw at the outset of this conflict."

The US and its western allies and partners have imposed successive waves of sanctions and export controls on Russia following its Feb. 26 war that have crippled Moscow's economy and led to a mass exodus of international firms from the country.

At least 2,729 civilians have been killed and 3,111 injured in Ukraine since Russia launched its war, according to UN estimates, with the true figure feared to be much higher.

More than 5.2 million Ukrainians have fled to neighboring countries, and nearly 8 million have been displaced internal, according to the UN's refugee agency.