Russians behind schedule in Donbas because of Ukraine’s resistance – Pentagon

The relevant statement was made by the U.S. Senior Defense Official during a phone briefing on Friday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“We believe they [Russians – Ed.] are at least several days behind where they wanted to be,” the Senior Defense Official said.

In his words, this is a general assessment, as the situation may vary on the line, whether it’s from the north or the south.

In eastern Ukraine, Russians meant to be much further along, in terms of a total encirclement of Ukrainian troops.

According to the Senior Defense Official, Ukrainians are putting up a strong resistance throughout the area.

Russians continue to set conditions for a sustained and larger and longer offensive, launching artillery and airstrikes against Ukrainian positions. But, according to the Pentagon, these strikes are not having the effect that Russians want them to, and thus, Russia’s ground movements are fairly plodding.

A reminder that, over the past day, Ukrainian defenders have destroyed 60 enemy military equipment units within the Joint Forces Operation (JFO) area, including 11 tanks.

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