Live updates | UK: Russian forces have 'weakened morale'
LVIV, Ukraine — The British military believes Russian forces in Ukraine are likely suffering from “weakened morale.”
The British Defense Ministry made that assessment in a tweet Saturday as part of a daily report it provides on Russia’s war on Kyiv.
It says Russia “still faces considerable challenges” in fighting. The British military believes Russian forces have “been forced to merge and redeploy depleted and disparate units from the failed advances in northeast Ukraine.”
It offered no information on how it arrived at this assessment. However, analysts believe Russian forces that failed to take Kyiv at the start of the war have been redeployed without the time needed to properly rearm and restaff.
The British believe Russia hopes to reorganize its effort and shorten supply lines.
The ministry added: “A lack of unit-level skills and inconsistent air support have left Russia unable to fully leverage its combat mass, despite localized improvements.”
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KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN THE RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR:
— Ukraine cracks down on anyone suspected of aiding Russian troops
— A former U.S. Marine became the first known American to die fighting for Ukraine
— Ukraine slams Kyiv attack amid new Mariupol rescue effort
— Ukraine says Russian offensive in east picks up momentum
— NATO chief says Finland, Sweden could join quite quickly
Follow all AP stories on Russia’s war on Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
WASHINGTON — A senior U.S. defense official said Friday the Russian offensive is going much slower than planned in part because of the strength of the Ukrainian resistance.
“We also assess that...