Resistance stronger than expected
USA: Kremlin troops running behind schedule
02/28/2022 11:33 p.m
The Russian offensive in Ukraine is progressing slowly. The Pentagon believes Moscow’s troops are already “a few days” behind schedule. According to Washington, this is also due to the stubborn resistance. The Inspector General of the German Armed Forces made a similar statement.
The US government believes that Russia is “behind schedule” in its attack on Ukraine. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the Russian soldiers encountered resistance they hadn’t expected. “We think they are a few days behind what they expected.” However, it is dangerous to interpret something into it or to forecast something, warned Kirby. He also said that the US government currently sees no threat to NATO allies from the Russian army.
The Inspector General of the German Armed Forces, Eberhard Zorn, made a similar statement. “What we are witnessing is a very brave army of Ukrainian armed forces, supported by the civilian population and by a clever formation,” said Germany’s highest-ranking soldier in the evening on ZDF. Ukraine had been able to prepare for this attack for a long time. “In this respect, the advance of the Russian armed forces is currently faltering,” said Zorn. So far, however, only about a third of the Russian soldiers deployed on the Ukrainian border are deployed in the attacked country.
“That means there are still forces, we call them the second and third waves, available,” said Zorn. It is assumed that these would be used with artillery and air force support. Correspondingly more victims among the civilian population would then be expected.
Kirby stressed, “We will stand by the Ukrainian armed forces just as we have done, just as other NATO allies have done. And we will continue to find ways to help them defend themselves.” However, he would not publish an “inventory list” as this would not be useful for the security of the Ukrainians.
Kirby also reiterated that a diplomatic solution is still possible if Russian President Vladimir Putin wants it. “There is nothing other than perhaps his own stubbornness preventing Mr. Putin from doing the right thing here.” According to Kirby, it looks as if Putin does not want to choose this path. He uses violence against a neighboring country “that poses no threat to him”.