Russian advance on Kiev stalls and there are signs of low morale among Russian troops, US official says

Russia’s military advance on Kiev has stalled as its forces face logistical challenges, including food shortages for some units, and some units appear to be in low morale, a senior US defense official said. .

Russia on Tuesday warned residents of the capital Kiev to flee their homes and rained rockets on the second largest city, Kharkov, as Russian commanders, who have not achieved a quick victory, changed their tactics to intensify the bombing of Ukrainian cities.

Satellite images taken on Monday show a Russian military convoy north of Kiev stretching some 64 kilometers, substantially more than the 27 kilometers previously reported.

“One of the reasons things seem to be at a standstill north of Kiev is that the Russians themselves are regrouping and rethinking and trying to adjust to the challenges they have encountered.the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official said it was not clear whether the convoy itself had stalled, but that it was not making much progress.

“The Russians have been surprised by some of the morale problems they are experiencing and I think they are not too happy with the logistical and maintenance challenges they have had.”, the official said, without providing evidence.

In recent days, images have surfaced on social media showing Russian tanks and military vehicles standing by the side of roads, some of which appear to have run out of fuel.

The official said the United States had seen signs that some Russian units had surrendered without a fight, but did not elaborate on the number of troops included.

However, the bombardment continues. Russian forces attacked a television tower in Kiev, Anton Herashchenko, adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Ministry, reported.

The Russian Defense Ministry also stated that Russia would attack sites in Kiev belonging to Ukraine’s security service and a special operations unit.