US Defense Department Official Says Russia’s War Effort Is Failing
The Ukrainian military repelled attempted Russian advances in eastern Ukraine and pounded critical Russian logistical hubs overnight into Saturday
As Russia continued to bombard towns and cities along the 400-mile front line.
Ukraine made small but steady gains in the southern region of Kherson, a port city in the south
There thousands of Russian soldiers are now largely isolated after Ukrainian strikes on key supply routes.
A senior U.S. Defense Department official acknowledged those advances at a news briefing on Friday
It said there was growing evidence that steep Russian losses had left some units ill-prepared to fight.
The Ukrainians have accused the Russians of using the nuclear power plant as a military base, assuming that the Ukrainians will not fire on it given the risks involved.
“It was really hot in Enerhodar, literally,” the town’s exiled mayor, Dmytro Orlov, said in a statement.
While the Russians were working to repair a vital bridge over the Dnipro River further south near the city of Kherson
the Ukrainians said that it remained impassable and that Russian forces based on the western side of the river were largely isolated from resupply and support.