"Despite #Russian forces having encircled Mariupol for over 10 weeks, staunch Ukrainian resistance delayed #Russia’s ability to gain full control over the city ... costly personnel losses amongst Russian forces"
"This includes a deployment of #Chechen forces, likely consisting of several thousand fighters primarily concentrated in the #Mariupol & #Luhansk sectors”
#Chechen forces fighting for #Russia in/around #Mariupol & Luhansk "likely consist of both individual volunteers & National Guard units, which are routinely dedicated to securing the rule of Chechen Republic Head, Ramazan Kadyrov" per #Britain's @DefenceHQ
The ##Chechen Republic's Kadyrov "likely maintains close personal oversight of the deployment, while his cousin Adam Delimkhanov has likely acted as the Chechen field commander in #Mariupol" per #Britain's @DefenceHQ
Per #Britain's @DefenceHQ, #Russia's use of #Chechen forces & other "disparate" personnel "demonstrates Russia's significant resourcing problems in #Ukraine and is likely contributing to a disunited command which continues to hamper Russia’s operations”
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"We're constantly monitoring the threat environment w/escalation management clearly in mind" per @PentagonPresSec on US aid to #Ukraine "it would be irresponsible if we didn't do that"
"As we work these pkgs, these weapons & systems that we're sending to #Ukraine...we're doing it mostly with an eye towards what does Ukraine need in the fight that they're in right now" per @PentagonPresSec
"The consistent answer that we get back is they need long range fires"
"Our focus is on making sure that we can advantage #Ukraine on the battlefield & therefore hopefully advantage them when it comes to an ultimate peace there" per @PentagonPresSec
...this despite Russian claims its used a new generation of lasers to counter drones
US assesses #Russia is behind where it wants to be as far as progress in the #Donbas, w/Russian progress slow, uneven, per @PentagonPresSec
Says every day there are "hamlets towns and villages that are changing hands" between Russia & #Ukraine
US @SecDef Lloyd Austin to virtually host meeting of the #Ukraine Contact Group this coming Monday - more than 40 nations expected to take part, per @PentagonPresSec
"The gvt of #Russia views the US as its primary adversary..." Kurtis Ronnow, deputy asst dir for of the @FBI's Counterintelligence Division, tells @USChamber during virtual briefing on #cyber
"#Russia's malign influence efforts are ongoing" & involve #cyber, other means, per @FBI's Ronnow
US officials "remain concerned" #Russian cyber criminals will target US businesses, critical infrastructure in support of #Russia's ops in #Ukraine, Mike Herrington, section chief of the @FBI's Cyber Division tells @USChamber
"Russia's continuing their offensive in the northern #Donbas...but no major shift in territorial control by either side" per senior US defense official
"We continue to see the #Ukrainians continue to claw back territory north and northeast of #Kharkiv" per senior US defense official
ICYMI: #Britain's @DefenceHQ says #Russia "has fired senior commanders who are considered to have performed poorly during the opening stages of its invasion of #Ukraine"
Pentagon downplays #Taliban efforts to build its own air force
"The relatively small number of former AAF aircraft believed to be in operational condition does not pose a capable military threat to regional stability outside #Afghanistan" per @DeptofDefense spox Maj Rob Lodewick
"With the exception of a pair of #Blackhawk helicopters, the former AAF aircraft that have been seen flying in #Afghanistan are old legacy aircraft that DoD did not provide nor previously sustain" per @DeptofDefense spox Maj Rob Lodewick in response to question from @VOANews
"The #Taliban will likely continue to focus the use of its limited air assets against anti-Taliban threats within #Afghanistan" per @DeptofDefense's Maj Lodewick