US says Russian forces losing momentum in the face of tough Ukraine resistance

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has run out of steam in the face of Ukrainian air and ground resistance, a senior US defense official has said.

“Its momentum, particularly as it relates to Kiev, has slowed in the last 24 hours,” the official said.

Russian forces, which entered Ukraine through various points early Thursday, have yet to take over major cities or control airspace, said the source, who asked not to be identified.

“They have failed to advance what we believe they had anticipated,” he added. “A good indicator of this is that no populated centers have been taken. Neither”.

The Pentagon believes that Moscow wants to take control of Kiev and replace the current government, with ties to the West, with Kremlin allies.

Many fear that powerful Russian forces, with massive backing from across the Ukrainian border, could conquer Kiev in a matter of days.

But so far, despite their focus on military targets, they have not been able to disrupt the Ukrainian defense structure.

“As we see it right now, Ukraine’s command and control is intact,” the official said.

According to the Pentagon, they also failed to dominate the airspace, since Ukraine’s air defense systems are still functional and the air force still flies and threatens Russian planes.

Russia “met more resistance than expected,” the source said, adding that the United States has indications that the offensive “is not going the way the Russians had anticipated.”

Russia launched its invasion with a massive missile barrage along three axes: from Belarus north towards Kiev; from the Russian region of Belgorod to the important city of Kharkov in the northeast; and from the Crimea in the south to Kherson.

Although the Russian forces reached the outskirts of Kiev, they have not yet been able to enter, while the fighting continues to be intense around Kharkov, which has also not fallen.

In the south, the Russians continue to advance towards Kherson, but they are also expanding the front, landing amphibious forces in eastern Crimea to threaten Mariupol.

The Russians also tried to seize control of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant on the Dnieper River in northern Crimea, launching cyberattacks against the plant, the official said.

The Pentagon did not estimate the size of the Russian forces entering Ukraine, after Moscow amassed more than 150,000 troops along the country’s borders before attacking.

However, the source indicated that the Russians had transferred “about a third of their combat power” to Ukraine, with the rest remaining on the outskirts.