According to the US government, Putin’s troops are encountering unexpectedly heavy resistance as they advance. A Pentagon representative reports:
We have signs that Russians are growing frustrated with their lack of progress over the past 24 hours, particularly in northern parts of Ukraine.
“According to our observations, the resistance is greater than the Russians expected,” the official said. “Ukrainian air defenses, including aircraft, remain operational and are attacking and denying access to Russian planes in various parts of the country.” The statements cannot be verified independently.
So far, the Russian armed forces have been more successful in their advance in the south from Crimea and the Black Sea. “But the toughest resistance is in the north. Fierce fighting is still going on in and around Kharkiv and north of Kiev,” says the US official. The US and other Western countries are still able to supply arms to the country. Washington is planning further supplies in the coming days to support the fight against Russian tanks on the ground and attacks from the air.
Yesterday, Russia ordered its troops to advance into Ukraine “from all directions”. According to Pentagon information, around 50 percent of the 150,000 Russian invasion troops are now in Ukraine.