Thread by @jseldin

JUST IN: Day 48 of #Russia invasion of #Ukraine - 1,540 missile launches by Russian forces vs Ukraine so far, per a senior US defense official

#Russian airstrikes focused on #Mariupol, #Donbas

Russian resupply convoy 60 km north of #Izyum - moving slowly

US cannot yet verify claims by #Ukraine of #Russia using chemical weapons / white phosphorus in #Mariupol

"We cannot confirm the use of chemical agents at this time" per a senior US defense official "We're still evaluating"

https://twitter.com/jseldin/status/1513644697989922822?s=20&t=xYnV8f9ODegHye0GynI69A

"We have seen indication that they [#Russia] are attempting to try to effect the Ukrainians ability to try to sustain themselves in this fight" per a senior US defense official

NEW: #Russia down to "just above 80%" of the combat power it initially arrayed vs #Ukraine, per a senior US defense official

#Ukraine "still have the majority of their air defense available to them" per a senior US defense official "But they have been clear that they want to boost their air defense capabilities"

"We're talking to allies & partners" to help get #Kyiv more, per the official

Difficulty in confirming alleged #Russia|n use of chemical agent - "The biggest challenge is we're not there" per a senior US defense official "We don't have access to the hospitals...to talk to the doctors"

Alleged #Russia|n chem weapon use in #Ukraine -"It's certainly something you can't track easily from the air" per a senior US defense official "These are difficult things to prove when you're not proximate"

But says US taking it seriously given Russia's history

US #switchblade drones being used by #Kyiv - "A significant amount of the 1st 100, we know are in #Ukraine" per a senior US defense official

#Russia mixing chemical weapon agent w/riot control agents? "We have had indications in the past that that would be, could be one tactic the #Russia|ns would employ" per a senior US defense official

Emphasizes still NO confirmation that is what happened in #Mariupol

US security assistance to #Ukraine - "We are flowing things in every single day" per a senior US defense official

As for the remaining #switchblade drones-"It won't take long before the rest of them are in the country"

Asked about proving chemical weapon use in #Syria vs #Ukraine - "We're doing the best we can" re #Mariupol per a senior US defense official "We're looking at it"

Official notes use of chemical weapons, like #Sarin, in Syria was also much more widespread

Pace of #Russia airstrikes vs #Ukraine lessening bcs they are "concentrated in a smaller geographic area" per a senior US defense official

"They have now collapsed their efforts to the east & to the south" per official, warning pace of airstrikes could increase again

On Monday, US estimated there had been +1,500 #Russia|n missile strikes vs #Ukraine since the start of the invasion

Today (Tuesday), US reported about another 40 such strikes since Monday

US assistance to #Ukraine-2 flights arrived in region w/ammo, machine guns, body armor...another flight w/similar cargo expected to arrive in next 24 hours, per a sr US defense official

The $800 million package expected to be fully delivered by mid-April. Same w/javelins...

"We are doing everything we can to help them [#Ukraine] defend themselves-that includes in the information sphere" per a senior US defense official