Thread by @jseldin

NEW: US now assesses #Russia has launched +1,200 missiles, per a senior US defense official

Adds some Russian forces moving on #Kyiv are digging in, creating defensive positions

NEW- #Ukraine has pushed back Russian forces moving on #Kyiv from the east

MORE: #Russia|n advance on #Chernihiv stalled & "in some places ... they are ceding ground" per a senior US defense official

#Donbas, eastern #Ukraine becoming focus of #Russia's military ops, per a senior US defense official

"There's been a lot of fighting...what we're seeing now is indications that Russia is really starting to prioritize" that front

#Mariupol "very very contested" per a senior US defense official

"The #Russia|ns are still bombarding it heavily w/artillery & long-range fire" per the official who says there is heavy fighting between #Ukraine forces, #Russian troops in the city

"The #Russia|ns have not been able to take #Mykolaiv ...they've had to reposition around Mykolaiv bcs the resistance [from #Ukraine forces] has been so stiff" per a senior US defense official

US watching for "a potential feint on #Odesa" by #Russia|ns forces, per a senior US defense official

#Russia's air force still acting risk averse over #Ukraine - "If they do venture in, they don't stay in contested air space very long" per a senior US defense official

#Belarus - no indications Belarusian forces are preparing to join the fight in #Ukraine, per a senior US defense official

NEW: 1st shipment of new $800 million US security package to #Ukraine set to arrive "very soon" - in next few days, per a senior US defense official

Weapons systems are being prioritized, the official says

US has "low confidence" in casualty estimates for #Russia|n forces in #Ukraine - wary of some of the estimates out there, per a senior US defense official

Earlier, a senior @NATO official said 7,000-15,000...

https://twitter.com/jseldin/status/1506646337856675842?s=20&t=PMoiu9n1kM9rx6EMiDJWZQ

NEW: No "imminent signs" there's going to be a chemical or biological event caused by the #Russia|ns, per a senior US defense official

"We don't see an indication right now that there's an imminent potential use here of chem/bio [weapons]" per the official

"We are still able to get [security assistance] into #Ukraine using a variety of ground routes" per a senior US defense official

Says those routes have not been threatened

"There's been no [#Russia|n] progress toward #Kyiv on the ground" per a senior US defense official

"From the east, they've actually moved backwards" official says, noting Russian forces now 55km out from city center, having lost abt 20km

#Ukraine-refugees: "There could be more than 4 million refugees...it's a significant issue" per a senior US defense official

#Russia focus on the #Donbas - "we do think they are trying to fox #Ukrainian forces there...so they can't be used elsewhere" per a senior US defense official

"We're seeing a lot of energy being applied by the Russians" in that area, per the official

#Russia running low on air-launched cruise missiles - down to abt 50% - but on other missiles, stockpiles are adequate, per a senior US defense official

"They've expended a lot but they put a lot in...and they have an awful lot left"