Here are the highlights of what a senior U.S. defense official told reporters on Friday, Day 33: Ukraine recaptures the city south of Sumy The United States estimates that Ukrainian forces have recaptured the city of Trostyanets, south of Sumy, in northeastern Ukraine, from Russian forces. “They continue to make progress on this issue,” said the official, who could not confirm reports of other areas being recaptured by the Ukrainians, as reported by Ukraine over the weekend. The official added that Russian forces remained all around in a defensive stance, “and the Ukrainians continue to try to regain ground,” something they have seen in the south and north. Last Friday, the official said Russian troops north of Kiev had moved to defensive positions around the city and were giving priority to operations in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine. The official said Monday that Russian troops around Kyiv have stopped coming to the city, although they continue to use large-scale fire. Russian troops remain 15-20 miles north / northwest of the city and about 35 miles east. Russia has now fired more than 1,370 missiles at Ukraine. “There is a static situation on the ground there, except for the fact that we continue to see Ukrainians defending the city and trying to repel the Russians,” the official said. The strategic city of Hersonissos in the southern part remains a “disputed area”, the official said. On Friday, the official said that Kherson, which was occupied by Russia early in the fighting, was no longer under full control of Russian forces. Russia gives priority to Donbas, but the US is not sure why People walk in front of a church as smoke rises after an air raid on the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on March 26, 2022. The official said Russian forces appeared to have given priority to operations in eastern Ukraine. The official described Russian forces moving southeast of Izyum as “increasing progress” toward Donbass. “We are not exactly sure what lies behind this re-prioritization. All I can tell you is what we are seeing,” he said. The United States believes it could try to cut off Ukrainian troops east of the rest of the country, leverage future peace talks or refocus on its strategic goals. Fierce fighting and bombing continue in Mariupol A Ukrainian soldier stands on a tank in Lukyanivka, a neighborhood of Kiev, Ukraine, on March 27, 2022. “The Ukrainians are sinking it in Mariupol and keeping the Russians away there so far,” the official said. Russian troops entered the southern port of the city after pounding it with artillery and long-range missiles, apparently destroying entire parts of the city. “We continue to see Mariupol being hit by large-scale fires,” the official said. “We are certainly aware of reports that inside Mariupol the Ukrainians are not only fighting very, very hard, but that they are experiencing their own challenges because you are surrounded,” the official added. “It is under incredible pressure from the Russians, but the Ukrainians continue to defend it.” Expansion of US troops in Eastern Europe? A Ukrainian flag is placed on an apartment building damaged by fighting between Russian and Ukrainian troops in Lukyanivka, a neighborhood of Kiev, Ukraine, on March 27, 2022. An important decision of the NATO leaders’ summit last week in Brussels was that the alliance would establish a long-term presence in Eastern Europe as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. That includes an additional 6,000 US ground forces that moved to Eastern Europe to reassure NATO countries bordering Russia before the invasion. Now, there are questions about whether they will stay there longer than what the Pentagon has described as temporary development. The official noted that when Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered additional troops to Europe in recent months, “we understood then that he would be there for as long as we thought he needed to be there, and the minister continues to believe they are necessary.” The official described them as “temporary developments” and said Austin was constantly discussing US troop positions with General Todd Wolters, the commander of US and NATO forces, and General Mark Milley, President of the United States. Staff. A Ukrainian soldier looks out of a tank in Lukyanivka, a neighborhood of Kiev, Ukraine, on March 27, 2022. “These troops are still there and the secretary thinks they should stay there, so I have no announcements or changes in this attitude other than these six Growlers we talked about this morning and as we can talk, I certainly will.” , said the official. On Monday, the Pentagon announced that six US Navy EA-18 Growler aircraft capable of intercepting radars with electronic warfare equipment were being deployed in Germany to reinforce NATO’s east side and deter Russia. “They are not being developed to be used against Russian forces in Ukraine,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. “They are being fully developed in line with our efforts to strengthen NATO’s deterrent and defense capabilities along this eastern side. They are not being sent because of some kind of perceived acute threat or a specific incident that has occurred.” “This is done to boost preparedness, to strengthen NATO’s collective defense stance and to further increase the possibilities of air integration with our allies and our partner nations,” Kirby said.
