Jack Detsch AT JackDetsch
A senior U.S. defense officials wrapped up a briefing a while ago describing how the Pentagon sees Russia's war in Ukraine on day 56. Here are some of the highlights, including news on U.S. military training and fighter jet parts for Ukraine.
First off, some clarification, Ukraine has NOT received new fixed-wing aircraft from Europe, as DoD indicated Tuesday. But Ukraine has managed to put 20 more fighters back in the skies with new parts from European partners. MiGs could also be on the way
The U.S. has also begun training for Ukrainian military advisors on US howitzers somewhere in Europe that should last a week Ukraine will have 40,000 rounds for 155mm howitzer artillery. More is likely on the way from ANOTHER $800 million in military aid
On the military front in Ukraine, defenders are holding off Russia at Mariupol's steel factory, the U.S. believes. Russia has used fixed-wing bombers to fire on Mariupol, the U.S. defense official said.
Russia is focusing airstrikes exclusively on the Donbas and Ukraine's south in the past 24 hours, the U.S. believes – and Russian air-to-ground integration is improving. Russia's prelude to the operation is focused on northern pushes, mainly near Izyum.
Russia is continuing preparations for the Donbas by staging artillery and helos near the region that will support ground troops And the U.S. is responding by landing planeload upon planeload of howitzers & other weapons in Europe for trucking to Ukraine.
And there's more where that came from, the U.S. insists. The Pentagon not YET worried about stockpiles of Javelin and Stinger missiles either, though it is engaging the defense industry to provide more – and fast.
Russia is up to 82 battalion tactical groups in Ukraine after adding another 4 in last 24 hr, three of those in and around Donbas. That's down from the 120 BTGs that Russia had amassed on Ukrainian border before the invasion. But DoD numbers have fluctuated a lot.
Russia is also staging command and control elements over the border from Ukraine in Western Russia, a sign that they're trying to learn from the failure to coordinate the Kyiv campaign with the appointment of Gen. Aleksandr Dvornikov as theater commander.
But even as Russia makes upgrades, and took a town in Donbas as defenders pushed away to defensive positions, Ukraine is fighting them every step of the way. Ukrainian troops have recently taken another town in the south, possibly extending buffer around Mykolaiv
Finally, Russia's test of the Sarmat ICBM was pre-cleared by the Kremlin with U.S. officials under New START treaty rules, even though Putin said the test would make the U.S. "think twice." U.S. and Russia have NO arms control talks on the table right now
That's it. Another thing: Russia also has landing ships off of the Crimean coast, but U.S. has seen NO signs of an imminent amphibious landing, per U.S. defense official, but that could be a factor if Mariupol battle continues.
Phillips P. OBrien AT PhillipsPOBrien
Well Ukrainian Air Force saying no new aircraft, so no new platforms as the Pentagon said. Says it’s spare parts allowing more aircraft into operation.
Ukrainian Air Force AT KpsZSU
Officially Ukraine did not receive new aircraft from partners! With the assistance of the US Government, AT KpsZSU received spare parts and components for the restoration and repair of the fleet of aircraft in the Armed Forces, which will allow to put into service more equipment.
Phillips P. OBrien AT PhillipsPOBrien
Yes the use of the word ‘Officially’ is a little odd, but don’t know what to make of it.
hmm, pentagon saying that these spare parts resulted in 20 extra aircraft for Ukraine. That certainly sounds like alot. I wonder if the ‘officially’ had a little wink and a nudge in it.
And to be fair, the Ukrainians have a track record of this, their wink and a nudge denial of the Belgorod fuel dump attack most famously
I mean, you don’t normally expect to find 20 extra MiGs down the back of the sofa needing a few spare parts