Ukraine’s Military is Winning with Agile Defenses, Measured Weapons Use and FIERCE WILL; Report: Ukraine has Defeated ‘initial’ Russian Campaign, Setting Up ‘stalemate’; US Fighters Say They Felt Calling to Join Ukraine's Cause; A 6th Russian Gen./Fleet Capt. is Killed; and LIVE UPDATES

AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd

Ukraine’s military is winning with agile defenses, measured weapons use and fierce will:

Outgunned Ukrainian forces are winning the war so far against the invading Russians with unique tactics, effective use of weapons and fighters who have exhibited a fierce commitment to defending their nation, military analysts say.

In particular, the anti-tank missiles supplied to Ukraine in advance of the month-old war played a major role in thwarting the advances of Russian tanks and armored vehicles, and the anti-aircraft systems denied Moscow control of the skies.

Ukrainian military forces moved most of their air defense missiles shortly before the start of hostilities last month, blunting the impact of the first wave of Russian missile strikes.

The action prevented the Russians from taking key air bases inside Ukraine, and the invasion force wasted bombs on empty spaces where Moscow’s intelligence mistakenly believed air defense batteries were located.

“The Ukrainians are doing a really nice job of staying mobile and agile,” said a senior military officer familiar with Ukrainian tactics, with surviving mobile air defense missiles inflicting heavy losses on Russian jets and helicopters.

The Ukrainian military also has leveraged its familiarity with home territory to stymie the invaders.

Several bridges leading from the northern part of the country toward the capital, Kyiv, were destroyed to make it more difficult for tanks and artillery to reach firing areas.

Poor tactics by Russian tank columns also have slowed the attack. Ukrainian forces armed with precision-guided Javelin anti-tank missiles immobilized many columns by blowing up the first and last tanks in a procession, making it difficult for the others to advance.

“It was like [Russian tanks] were driving into a pencil sharpener,” the military officer said. “It was a total miscalculation on their ability to maneuver on the battlefield.” --->READ MORE HERE

Ukraine has defeated ‘initial’ Russian campaign, setting up ‘stalemate’: Report

The Ukrainian military has defeated Russia’s initial war campaign, setting up the possibility of a sustained “stalemate” throughout much of the country, according to the Institute for the Study of War.

Russian forces had sought to utilize “airborne and mechanized operations” to seize various population centers, including the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, and the cities of Kharkiv and Odessa. After more than three weeks, the Russians “continue to make limited advances” but are “very unlikely to be able to seize their objectives,” according to the institute's latest assessment of the war, released Saturday afternoon.

A senior U.S. defense official similarly told reporters on Friday that Russian forces have “largely stalled across the country.”

Their lack of meaningful progress “is creating conditions of stalemate throughout most of Ukraine,” which will “likely be very violent and bloody, especially if it protracts,” the ISW report concluded. Russian forces are starting to create conditions to hold in their current positions for an “indefinite time,” the analysis added, noting that Maxar imagery shows them digging trenches and revetments over the past several days, seemingly supporting the assessment. --->READ MORE HERE

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