The Russian offensive in eastern Ukraine has made limited progress: small gains from forces pressing south from Izyium and a virtual stalemate pushing to the north from around Mariupol, a senior Pentagon official said Monday.
The official characterized the Russian attack as “incremental and somewhat anemic.” The Russians have been trying to orchestrate their artillery, air and ground forces in eastern Ukraine with little success, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence assessments.
The Ukrainians have countered with artillery strikes of their own. The Pentagon is sending 90 M777 howitzer cannons to Ukraine, 85 of which have arrived, and in excess of 100,000 artillery shells. More than 300 Ukrainian soldiers have completed training on how to operate the howitzers, the official said.
Russian morale continues to suffer, the official said, with anecdotal reports of officers refusing to follow orders in the eastern Donbas region. Muddy ground has further slowed Russian operations. The inability to supply their troops, a problem that forced the Russian retreat from Kyiv, continues to slow their progress in eastern Ukraine.
About 97 Russian battalion groups are inside Ukraine, the official said. That’s an increase in recent days of about five battalion groups, which total about 700 to 1,000 troops each.
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