Finding a Way Out of the War in Ukraine Proves Elusive

Certainly, at the same time as Russia widened its artillery, missile and bombing strikes on Sunday, Russian and Ukrainian forces had been girding for what’s shaping as much as be a climactic battle in Kyiv.

Mr. Putin has demonstrated in previous conflicts in Syria and Chechnya a willingness not solely to bomb closely populated areas but in addition to make use of civilian casualties as leverage towards his enemies. Senior U.S. officers mentioned the approaching weeks may see a protracted, drawn-out struggle with 1000’s of casualties on each side, in addition to among the many roughly 1.5 million residents remaining within the metropolis.

Russian and Ukrainian forces at the moment are pitted in fierce avenue combating within the suburban cities across the capital, whereas Ukrainian troops ambush the Russians with Javelin anti-tank missiles provided by NATO and america.

Russian forces tremendously outnumber the Ukrainian military, and may grind them down.

Lt. Gen. Scott D. Berrier, the director of the Protection Intelligence Company, instructed lawmakers final week there was a restrict to how lengthy Kyiv may maintain on as Russian forces edged nearer from the east, north and south, tightening the vise. “With provides being lower off, it is going to develop into considerably determined in, I might say, 10 days to 2 weeks,” Normal Berrier mentioned.

One other senior U.S. official, talking on situation of anonymity to debate confidential intelligence assessments, mentioned it may take as much as two weeks for Russian forces to encircle Kyiv after which at the very least one other month to grab it. That will require a mixture of relentless bombardment and what could possibly be weeks or months of door-to-door avenue combating.

“It is going to come at a really excessive value in Russian blood,” mentioned retired Adm. James G. Stavridis, the previous supreme allied commander for Europe. That prime price, he added, may trigger Mr. Putin to destroy the town with an onslaught of missiles, artillery and bombs — “persevering with a swath of battle crimes in contrast to any we have now seen within the twenty first century.”

Abandoning Plan A, and Dividing the Nation

The Russian assault has to this point failed to attain any of Mr. Putin’s preliminary targets. However on the battlefield, he’s nearer to some targets than others.