The Russian military has increased its troop presence in the southern and eastern parts of Ukraine in recent days, a senior U.S. defense official told reporters on Monday.
The Russian reinforcements come in the way of 11 new battalion tactical groups, which brings the total number of BTGs in the area to 76. Each one consists of roughly 800 to 1,000 service members, the official said previously. It is unclear where the new groups are going within the country.
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After nearly two months, the Russian military has failed to accomplish most of its objectives, which the Kremlin expected would take a matter of days. As a result, it has shifted those goals.
Now, Russia is looking to overthrow Mariupol, a besieged strategic city in the southern part of the country on the coast of the Sea of Azov. This will give Russia control of the territory connecting the Crimean Peninsula, which it seized in 2014, and the eastern territories of Luhansk and Donetsk, which have a large pro-Russian separatist faction.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the port city of Mariupol “doesn’t exist anymore” because of the destruction of the city by Russian forces and the alleged killings of civilians that have resulted in accusations of war crimes.
The official described Russian forces as “all around the city.” Should they finally take the area, they would free up another dozen BTGs to join the rest of the Russian military in the east, though the official added, “Our assessment is Mariupol is still contested.”
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Meanwhile, four shipments of U.S. military aid that were among the $800 million package President Joe Biden signed last week arrived, while another will arrive in “the next 24 hours.” The United States has provided Ukraine with approximately $2.6 billion in military aid since the beginning of Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24.
