A Friday background briefing with senior U.S. defense officials about the war in Ukraine has concluded.
Some takeaways worth noting:
Some takeaways worth noting:
Ninety-two percent of Russia’s combat power assembled at the Ukrainian border pre-invasion is now in Ukraine. That’s up from about 90 percent in a Pentagon assessment yesterday.
Strikingly, Ukraine has a “significant majority” of its aircraft still available against Russia after nine days of invasion, senior U.S. defense official says. For days, U.S. has said the airspace was contested.
No radioactive leakage from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant has been detected, senior U.S. defense official says. Russia appears to be in control of the plant, after shelling the area and causing a fire at the plant last night.
Official frames the shelling on the nuclear plant in part as a likely play to gain leverage on everyday Ukrainians by seizing control of electrical power.
Russia continues to advance on the southeastern city of Mariupol and shell it.
Russian and Ukrainian forces also fighting near the smaller southern city of Mikolaev, as Russians seemingly advance toward larger port city of Odessa.
Russian and Ukrainian forces also fighting near the smaller southern city of Mikolaev, as Russians seemingly advance toward larger port city of Odessa.
No “appreciable” movement has been made on Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital. That column of tanks and armor remains north of the city, seemingly stalled.
Senior U.S. defense official attributes that to Ukrainians blowing up a bridge and “direct attacks” on vehicles.
Senior U.S. defense official attributes that to Ukrainians blowing up a bridge and “direct attacks” on vehicles.
Russian forces remain outside Chernihiv and Kharkiv and continue to bombard them. Russian troops are in the southern city of Kherson, though the Pentagon isn’t saying whether it’s under Russian control.
Senior U.S. defense official appears to raise the possibility of Russian troops near Kherson linking up with additional Russians on naval vessels in the Black Sea.
Russia already has launched one amphibious invasion from the Sea of Azov.
Russia already has launched one amphibious invasion from the Sea of Azov.
Russia has now launched 500 missiles at Ukraine since invasion began, senior U.S. defense official says. That’s up about 20 from yesterday.
Senior U.S. defense official says Russia is striking “hospitals, schools, residential areas” in Ukraine, something backed by photos and video taken on the ground.
“They are killing civilians,” the official adds. “They are wounding civilians.”
“They are killing civilians,” the official adds. “They are wounding civilians.”
A new communication line set up so U.S. and Russian defense officials appears to be working.
Senior defense official says that in an initial test, “they answered the phone.”
Senior defense official says that in an initial test, “they answered the phone.”
Still no indication that Belarus is preparing to deploy troops to Ukraine to assist the Russians, senior U.S. defense official says.
Senior U.S. defense official says the Pentagon hasn't seen any "muscle movements" toward Odessa today, but forecasts that could change.
"Without having knowledge of Russian plans, it's difficult to speculate."
"Without having knowledge of Russian plans, it's difficult to speculate."
Senior U.S. defense official says that the Russian continue to fly aircraft and launch missiles inside Ukraine.
Most Russian strikes have been at night, but not all, official adds, pointing to open-source clips of explosions.
Most Russian strikes have been at night, but not all, official adds, pointing to open-source clips of explosions.
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