The Pentagon notes a slowdown in the movement of Russian troops around kyiv and other cities

Bombed building in Mariupol – Maximilian Clarke/SOPA Images vi / DPA

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The Pentagon agrees in principle on the intentions of the Russian General Staff to focus its operations in eastern Ukraine

MADRID, March 26. (Royals Blue) –

The United States Department of Defense coincides with the intention declared this past Friday by the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces to focus its offensive operations in eastern Ukraine after noting a slowdown in the movement of Russian troops by land around the capital, kyiv, and other cities in the country, although the bombing campaign continues as in previous days.

“It seems that (Russia) has ceased all interest in terms of the movement of its troops by land towards kyiv, but obviously air attacks, such as bombing and long-range attacks continue to occur,” said a senior Pentagon official. under condition of anonymity in statements collected by the website of the Department of Defense.

However, the US source has emphasized that the troops “have not made advances towards the city, neither from the north nor from the northwest, and as far as the east is concerned, they remain where they were.”

Much the same situation is occurring in Chernigov — “we’re not seeing real progress,” the source notes — and in Kharkov, although in this case the US is seeing “very, very intense” fighting with Ukrainian forces.” to prevent any further movement by the Russians.

Thus, and in general terms, the Pentagon has detected a possible change in Russian strategy with a double intention: as a “potential negotiating tactic” with Ukraine in the peace talks and, in a more tangible area, “to prevent the displacement of the Ukrainian forces in the east of the country.

In fact, the Pentagon has referred directly to the press conference given on Friday by the deputy to the Russian General Staff, General Sergei Rudskoi, who declared the “end of the first phase” of the invasion of Ukraine, which began on 24 February, to “concentrate the main efforts on achieving the main objective, the liberation of Donbas”.

“It is what the Russians themselves have said,” the Pentagon source has indicated in this regard. “They are giving priority to this aspect and we agree with this assessment, or at least the information we have agrees with it,” he asserted.

“It is interesting to us,” he added, “that most of Russia’s air activity is being focused on kyiv and Chernigov, which reinforces the idea that, at least for now, they don’t seem to be going after kyiv as aggressive or outspoken, and their efforts seem to be focused for the most part on Donbas.

In addition, he specified that Mariúpol continues to register “long-range” attacks and has once again recalled the attack on a Russian landing ship in the port of Berdyansk, although the United States has not been able to confirm casualties.

“It’s clear that at least one thing they were trying to do was use the port there in Berdyansk as a resupply depot for their fighting, near Mariupol. We agree with the Ukrainian reports that they destroyed a landing ship.” has indicated.

The senior US official has also stated that the Ukrainian troops “are trying to recapture Kherson.” “Kherson is actually disputed territory again,” he has said, adding that the United States cannot verify who is in control.

THE UKRAINIAN ARMY, SKEPTICAL

In line with the comments made yesterday by the Russian General Staff, the Ukrainian Army has indicated that, although it has agreed with the US on the stagnation of the Russian advance, it still does not rule out a large-scale attack against the capital, according to sources. military to the DPA agency.

From the Ukrainian Armed Forces they have linked the slow advance of the Russian Army to the shortage of food and fuel, as well as to the resistance of the Ukrainian soldiers. However, from the Ukrainian Intelligence it has been warned that Moscow was beginning to have special units in Dagestan, a Russian republic in the Caucasus, whose objective would be to take the Ukrainian capital.

It must be remembered that although General Rudskoi indicated that Russia has no intention of entering the Ukrainian cities it is besieging, such as kyiv, “such a possibility is not ruled out.”

In recent days, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have reported that their troops have managed to regain control of several positions and towns in the vicinity of kyiv, although the situation in the east of the country is not so encouraging.

The authorities have recognized this Friday that the Russian Army has taken control of some cities in the Donetsk region, and that other towns were being besieged, as is the case of Mariúpol.