Day 63 of #Russian invasion of #Ukraine: +1,900 missile launches since start of invasion - most of missile / airstrikes vs Ukraine in #Mariupol & #Donbas, per a senior US defense official
NEW: US assesses there are now 92 #Russia|n battalion tactical groups now inside #Ukraine, per a senior US defense official
NEW: #Russia making "slow & even...incremental progress in the #Donbas, per a senior US defense official
"But there has been continued pushback by the #Ukrainians...a lot of back & forth" the official says, noting Russian forces in #Ukraine still plagued by logistical issues
"But there has been continued pushback by the #Ukrainians...a lot of back & forth" the official says, noting Russian forces in #Ukraine still plagued by logistical issues
NEW: #Russia starting to move some forces away from #Mariupol & to the NW, per a senior US defense official
US security assistance to #Ukraine - more than 60% of the promised M777 #Howitzers have been transferred to Ukrainian forces, per a senior US defense official
2nd group of +50 Ukrainian troops training on the Howitzers started Wednesday...
2nd group of +50 Ukrainian troops training on the Howitzers started Wednesday...
Additional training being done outside of #Ukraine on other systems on the M113 armored personnel carrier & with radar systems, per a senior US defense official
Once trained -by US, others- these Ukrainian troops will train other Ukraine forces, official says
Once trained -by US, others- these Ukrainian troops will train other Ukraine forces, official says
155 artillery rounds continuing to flow into #Ukraine,
per a senior US defense official
per a senior US defense official
"They are taking losses, they are suffering casualties"
per a senior US defense official, though official cautions the 92 Russia|n battalion tactical groups inside #Ukraine are "functional"
per a senior US defense official, though official cautions the 92 Russia|n battalion tactical groups inside #Ukraine are "functional"
#Russia working to improve logistics & sustainment BUT "we do not assess they've fixed all their problems" per a senior US defense official
"We can see at least one reason why they aren't making a lot of progress...they are still wary of getting out ahead of their supply lines"
"We can see at least one reason why they aren't making a lot of progress...they are still wary of getting out ahead of their supply lines"
NEW: Spring weather threatening to muck up #Russia|n efforts in #Donbas, eastern #Ukraine
"We would expect some of their progress will be slowed, frankly, by mud & weather conditions", per a senior US defense official
"We would expect some of their progress will be slowed, frankly, by mud & weather conditions", per a senior US defense official
#BlackSea "largely show of force activity...to give pause to the #Ukrainians in the south" per a senior US defense official
"They are capable of doing some cruise missile launches" per official
"They are capable of doing some cruise missile launches" per official
US security assistance focused on giving #Ukraine systems that will be helpful in fight in #Donbas but also systems with which Ukrainian forces are familiar or can be trained on quickly, per a senior US defense official
US training of #Ukraine forces-"Small numbers of Ukrainians are being pulled out for a short periods of time" per a senior US defense official
Says 2 groups of abt 50 troops on the #Howitzers, 15-20 troops on the radar systems
Says 2 groups of abt 50 troops on the #Howitzers, 15-20 troops on the radar systems
"These are pretty reliable and fairly easy to use systems" per a senior US defense official
re Training of #Ukraine forces
re Training of #Ukraine forces
US, allies have delivered spare parts to #Ukraine to get Ukrainian aircraft operational, flyable again, per a senior US defense official
#Russia|n troops leaving #Mariupol - "We don't believe that the number is insignificant" per a senior US defense official
"Our sense is the fighting goes on in Mariupol" official says, noting you don't bomb a city if you think you have it already
"Our sense is the fighting goes on in Mariupol" official says, noting you don't bomb a city if you think you have it already
Just more than 20 #Russia|n battalion tactical groups outside #Ukraine for rest & refitting - no word on their operational status, per a senior US defense official
"We still assess they're having morale and cohesion problems"
"We still assess they're having morale and cohesion problems"
Foreign mercenaries fighting with #Russia|n forces -"We know the Wagner group is in the #Donbas & that they have recruited" some from #Syria, #Africa, per a senior US defense official
Day 63 and #Russia still does not have any air superiority over #Ukraine - air space still "so dynamic & so contested" per a senior US defense official
Many of the Russian airstrikes are still being launched from inside Russia, per the official
Many of the Russian airstrikes are still being launched from inside Russia, per the official
"We do believe #Russia|n forces have committed war crimes. We do believe Russian forces have committed atrocities" per a senior US defense official
That includes executions of #Ukraine forces, though official says cannot confirm some recent allegations
That includes executions of #Ukraine forces, though official says cannot confirm some recent allegations
Fighting between #Ukraine, #Russia|n forces near #Izyum - "There's just a lot of back and forth" per a senior US defense official "On any given day, it changes"
"They [Russia] are making some slow, incremental progress but not enough that it changes the battlefield situation"
"They [Russia] are making some slow, incremental progress but not enough that it changes the battlefield situation"
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