Russian forces remain “stuck” outside downtown kyiv, despite the increased pace of missile and artillery attacks, according to a senior defense official.
The image is also replicated in other northern cities, including Chernihiv, which is near the Belarusian border north of kyiv, and Kharkiv, near the Russian border in northeastern Ukraine. There has been “no appreciable movement by the Russians to take either,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss details on the ground.
The Pentagon attributes a variety of factors to stalling the Russian advance, among them the strong resistance the Russian troops encountered from the Ukrainians. But some of the contributing factors appear to be self-inflicted, the official said, listing “logistical and sustainment issues” to keep Russian forces properly fueled and fueled, as well as “morale issues that led to less than efficient operational operations”. success north of kyiv.
The official warned that the Russian forces “will learn and adapt and try to overcome these challenges” – and noted that despite the forces’ frozen position, they are acting with “increasing aggressiveness, in terms of just the iron that they have lobbed” especially in kyiv. The Pentagon has tracked 450 missile launches so far.
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