Thread by @jseldin

Happening now: @PentagonPresSec briefs the media...

Details on the 500 new US troops headed to #Europe:

KC-135 refueling aircraft w/150+ personnel to #Greece

@ 50 air support personnel to #Poland #Romania

300 personnel w/ammo support & maintenance support to #Germany

"These are purely defensive forces" per @PentagonPresSec

More from a senior defense official from earlier on new deployments from the US:

https://twitter.com/jseldin/status/1500885746462478340?s=20&t=H9fAtV0dLyQdqGMq98yyPQ

"As the #Russia|ns continue to get frustrated & slow down...they continue to rely more now on what we would call long-range fires" per @PentagonPresSec

That use of long-range strikes vs #Ukraine cities is causing more casualties to civilians, he adds

#Kharkiv #Ukraine is really becoming victim to a lot of these long-range fires" per @PentagonPresSec

But he says the city has not yet fallen to #Russia|n forces

"We believe they [#Russia] are trying to circle #Mariupol as well but they have not done it" per @PentagonPresSec

Miles-long #Russia|n convoy headed for #Kyiv "largely meant to help resupply" per @PentagonPresSec

"It is still stuck" he adds, noting there could be several convoys & there could be some combat vehicles there

"Morale continues to be a problem for many of the #Russia|n forces, especially in the north & the east" per @PentagonPresSec

"Not clear to us" if all the Russian forces understood they were going to be invading #Ukraine, he adds

#Putin "has an awful lot of combat power available to him" per @PentagonPresSec, asked about why #Russia is recruiting #Syria mercenaries

"I cannot get inside Mr. Putin's brain" he says, though notes Russian issues w/morale, logistics, etc

"If you're an American & you want to do right by #Ukraine" donate to relief agencies, per @PentagonPresSec

"We still do not believe #Ukraine is a safe place for Americans...We urge them not to go" he says

Similar to what he said to @VOANews q last week

https://twitter.com/jseldin/status/1499123594307248131?s=20&t=SKUaZ-E4ZH65kheuOY6qLg

"The [#Russia|n] reliance on long-range fires...are having an increased effect on civilian casualties" in #Ukraine, per @PentagonPresSec

"It's a direct result" he says, adding US cannot assess whether Russia is targeting civilians/civilian buildings on purpose

#Russia decision to use long-range strikes -"You are increasing the chances that even in the best of your targeting, you're going to miss" & hit civilians, per @PentagonPresSec

#Russia recruiting #Syria fighters - "We have indications" per @PentagonPresSec when asked about the evidence US has gathered

#Russia in #Ukraine - "On the ground , in the north, they continue to experience delays, they continue to experience a stiff resistance...that has slowed them down" per @PentagonPresSec

Notes damage by #Ukraine to Russian vehicles

Most recent influx of #Russia|n combat power into #Ukraine has come from the north, per @PentagonPresSec

Sr defense official said earlier nearly 100% of Russia's pre-staged combat power has been sent in

US security assistance to #Ukraine (and assistance from 14 other countries)" "We know that the material that we have been sending into Ukraine...they're using it and they're using it quite effectively" per @PentagonPresSec

#Ukraine's @ZelenskyyUa "has shown great poise & courage & leadership by staying in #Kyiv" per @PentagonPresSec

Adds US will continue to look for ways to support Ukraine & also to further boost @NATO

"We continue to see #Russia|n air forces participate in this invasion. They continue to launch weapons. They continue to launch attacks" per @PentagonPresSec

"...part of the Russian arsenal that's being applied against the ppl of #Ukraine"

US still not seeing the level of coordination btw #Russia air forces & ground forces "that you would expect to see" per @PentagonPresSec