As the ruble devalues to less than a cent, and the oligarchs see their assets frozen or seized, and Russia's increasingly cut off from the world, comes word from the front:
Russia’s assault on Kyiv has “stalled” with some units “surrendering without a fight” to Ukrainian troops, according to a senior US defence official.
The official, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity on Tuesday, said that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s forces have come up against several logistical issues as they continue to struggle to take control of the Ukrainian capital.
Some units are running out of food and fuel while there are also challenges of a lack of experience among troops who never even knew they were being sent into combat, the official said.
As a result, the advance on the capital remains stuck “where it was yesterday” with some troops said to be surrendering to the Ukrainian military and civilians who have fought back to defend their country.
“You’ve seen it on the ground, where units are surrendering, sometimes without a fight,” the official said.
The official said that Russian forces are showing some signs of “risk averse behaviour” among troops as the invasion continues into its sixth day.
“There has been in the last six days evidence of a certain risk averse behaviour by the Russian military,” the official said, according to CNN.
“And they’ve got, a lot of these soldiers are conscripts, never been in combat before, some of whom we believe weren’t even told they were going to be in combat. (our emphasis)
The hope is increasing that, the longer Ukraine can hold on, this aggression will not stand -- either on the battlefield or on the Russian homefront. The wild card, of course, is thug Putin and how far he's willing to go to destroy not only Ukraine, but his own country -- and if his countrymen are willing to go along for the ride.
(Photo: "Is that way back to Mother Rossiya?"/ Vadim Ghirda, AP)
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