The Russian military East facing more resistance than Moscow had expected in son invasion of Ukraine, including son advance on Kyivaccording to a senior United States defense official.
“We believe there is greater resistance from the Ukrainians than the Russians expected,” the official said. senior we defense official said, adding the command and control of Ukraine of son military “remains intact.”
the official noted that Russia also seems to have lost some of son momentum.
United States official, who spoke on state of anonymity, suggested a mixed picture for the Russian effort to press a offensive that Washington and Kyiv say aims to decapitate government and the installation of a puppet regime.
“We believe there is greater resistance from the Ukrainians than the Russians expected,” the official said. senior defense official said, adding the command and control of Ukraine of son military “remains intact.”
“They are not moving on Kyiv like fast like what we think they expected to be able to do. That said, they keep trying to move on Kyiv.”
Yet Russia has not yet mobilized the majority of its forces deployed around Ukraine, the official said, believing that just on one-third parties have now been “committed” to son offensive.
the official indications quoted of a Russian amphibious assault in the west of Mariupol, “potentially putting thousands of naval infantry ashore there.” The United States had also observed more over 200 total missile launches so far.
Although most of Russian targeting has been against Ukrainian military facilities, some of the missiles have landed on civilian residential areas, official noted.
Ukraine military was putting up a fightla official noted.
“They fight for the country”, the official said, noting that Russia had not yet established control of the airspace over Ukraine or used the extent of its electronic warfare capabilities.
“In generalthe Russians have lost a little of their momentum”, the official noted.
the official says that several hundred American citizens have left Ukraine over the past 24 hours.
Russia military intervention in Ukraine has entered son second daytime on Friday, with the latest reports that Russian troops were heading towards the capital Kyiv from several directions.
Putin ordered the military intervention on Thusday, just days after recognizing two enclaves held by the separatists in Eastern Ukraine.
He claimed that Moscow had no intention of occupying the neighboring country, but wanted to “demilitarize” and “denazify” Ukraine.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of to try install a puppet government and says that Ukrainians will defend their country against Russian aggression.
Tensions began to rise late last year when Ukraine, the United States and their allies accused Russia of bringing together nearly 150,000 men on the border with Ukraine.
They claimed that Russia was preparing to invade son western neighbour, allegations systematically rejected by Moscow.
