Thread by @jseldin

NEW: Day 36 of #Russia invasion of #Ukraine-US seeing more reposition away from north, northwest of #Kyiv but "we haven't observed that much of a difference" per a sr US defense official

"Despite the rhetoric...we're still observing artillery fire & airstrikes in & around Kyiv"

#Mariupol-"The Ukrainians are fighting very very tough inside the city" per a senior US defense official

Total #Russia missile launches - +1,400 since start of the invasion, per a senior US defense official

"We have seen the #Russia|n continue to increase the number of sorties...up over 300" in past 24 hours, per a senior US defense official

Focus on #Kyiv, #Chernihiv & the #Donbas

"Kyiv is still very much under threat from airstrikes"

#Russia repositioning - "We've seen some minor movements in some other places around the northern part of the country" per a senior US defense official

Most of the limited movement is around #Kyiv, per official

#Ukraine "attacking some of the repositioning [#Russia|n] forces" per a senior US defense official

Calls it a continuation of Ukrainian efforts from when Russian forces first stopped advancing, dug in defensively

#Chernobyl - US concerned abt #Russia|n forces "lack of understanding or adherence to any sort of safety protocol" per a senior US defense official

Says US has seen some Russian repositioning away from Chernobyl

NEW: "We haven't seen any tangible outcomes based on our assessment that Mr. #Putin is being misinformed or is perhaps uniformed" per a senior US defense official

"Clearly this repositioning they're [#Russia] doing...indicates they know they have failed to take the capital city"

NEW: Dangers w/#Putin misinformed/out of the loop on #Russia's invasion...

"It's cause for concern if he's not being told the truth, if he's being misinformed" per a senior US defense official

"You don't know how he's going to react when he does get fully informed"

NEW: US cannot confirm #Russia|n troops shot down their own aircraft, per a senior US defense official

But "We have continued to see unit cohesion issues, command & control issues...anecdotal evidence of poor morale" official adds

#Russia repositioning - forces have largely moved from #Chernobyl, north & northwest of #Kyiv, per a senior US defense official

Says Russians have "very likely abandoned" #Hostomel airfield

NEW: #Russia's focus on eastern #Ukraine, #Donbas NOT yer paying off

"As for actual progress...they have been frustrated & not successful" per a senior US defense official, warning Russia could be preparing for "a longer, more prolonged conflict" in #Donbas

#Russia efforts in eastern #Ukraine, #Donbas-"Just because...they're going to put more energy there doesn't mean it's going to be easy for them" per a senior US defense official

Update - #Kherson still contested

"We know the #Russians are in the city but we aren't prepared to call it for one side or the other...it's still being fought over" per a senior US defense official

#Russia|n air sorties over #Ukraine - about 300 every 24 hours over the past couple of days, BUT was less than half that in the several days before that, per a senior US defense official

"We believe that they [#Russia] are reinforcing wha they have there" in the #Donbas, per a senior US defense official

"We know #Wagner is trying to reinforce their presence..." per official

BUT "We haven't seen in any significant number" of Russian troops moving in yet

#Putin's advisers - "The planning for this war was done w/a very small circle of ppl...Our assessment is that they have not been completely honest w/him abt how it's going" per a senior US defense official

"We have not seen a lot of naval activity in the #BalckSea or #SeaofAzov in the last few days" per a sr US defense official

#Russia has 3 ships in Sea of Azov, more ships -surface combatants, landing ships- in Black Sea, per official

US not seeing any recent resupply efforts

#Russia "has consistently launched missiles from sea...its been sporadic at times" per a senior US defense official

NO change-no cause for alarm w/#Russia's nuclear posture - "No indications at this time that they're preparing to use those kinds of weapons" per a senior US defense official

UPDATE: all security assistance from the US $350 million aid package to #Ukraine delivered w/in 3 weeks - "unprecedented", per a senior US defense official

4-5 shipments from the newer $800 million package already delivered w/rest set to arrive "by the middle of April"