A background briefing with a senior U.S. defense official about the war in Ukraine concluded a short time ago. It’s Day 68 since Russia’s invasion.
Notable details:
The Pentagon now confirms that Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the top military officer in Russia, visited the Donbas region of Ukraine last week. However, the Pentagon does NOT confirm that he was injured, as some reports have suggested. The Pentagon is not in a position to confirm what, if anything, happened to Gerasimov while he was in Ukraine, the official said.
The U.S. official said that it’s “certainly possible” that Gerasimov’s trip was meant to provide a “manner of oversight.” Why would that be necessary?
The Pentagon also assesses today that Russia’s offensive in the Donbas region of Ukraine is “very cautious” and “very tepid.” “In some cases, quite frankly, the best way to describe it would be anemic,” the senior U.S. defense official said.
Russia has launched a number of offensive operations east and south of Izyum, a mid-sized city in eastern Ukraine that Russia captured late in March. But the U.S. official described a pattern in which Russia moves into an area in the Donbas region, claims victory, then withdraws. Then Ukrainian forces often take the areas back, the U.S. official said.
Separately, Ukrainian forces have pushed Russian forces farther away from Kharkiv, in northeastern Ukraine, the senior U.S. defense official said. He described an “able job” by Ukrainian forces over the last day or two.
Elsewhere: The southern port city of Mariupol continues to get hit with airstrikes. Russian forces are now using more “dumb bombs,” meaning they must fly closer to launch, the senior U.S. defense official said.
Russia still holds other areas in the south, including Kherson.
Some number of Russian troops continue to flow out of Mariupol to the northwest, the Pentagon says. The thought is they will eventually join the Donbas campaign.
The Pentagon is NOT confirming that Ukrainian drones have attacked Russian patrol boats, but acknowledges there is video circulating that appears to show that. “We’ve seen the video, same as you,” the official says.
On weapons transfers: More than 70 of the 90 howitzer artillery the United States promised to Ukraine have now been transferred, the U.S. defense official says. So have about tens of thousands of 155 mm rounds to go in them.
In the last day, the United States delivered 14 planes filled with military aid to the region for transfer to Ukraine, the senior U.S. defense official said. Five other nations combined to deliver 23 more shipments.
No Mi-17 helicopters approved by President Biden in recent aid packages have been delivered. But they are expected to be soon, the senior U.S. defense official said.
Training of Ukrainians on Western systems continues.
Fifty Ukrainian artillerymen are expected to complete a week-long familiarization course today on the American howitzers, bumping the total number to receive the training to about 220, the official said.
Twenty Ukrainian soldiers began receiving training yesterday on how to use the new Phoenix Ghost drone. The unmanned aircraft is a loitering munition that can be flown directly into Russian vehicles or troop formations.
Russian force levels have not fundamentally changed in the last few days. The Pentagon now assesses there are 93 Russian battalion tactical groups in the fight, the senior defense official said. The number was 92 last week. Many of those units are not at full strength.
Via Dan Lamothe
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