Russian strikes against Ukraine continued Wednesday, despite Moscow’s pledge to “drastically” scale back operations around Kyiv.
As negotiations between the two countries continue, new U.S. intel suggests a communication breakdown in Moscow could be keeping President Vladimir Putin in the dark about the effects his war is having on Russia.
According to recently declassified intelligence reports, Putin is unaware that his military has been using conscripts, or troops forced to enlist and taking heavy losses in Ukraine.
He’s also not getting the full picture of how economic sanctions are damaging the Russian economy.
This new information comes a day after Russia’s promise to withdraw from certain parts of Ukraine, a pledge U.S. officials regard with skepticism.
“I don’t read anything into it until I see what their actions are. We’ll see if they follow through on what they’re suggesting,” said President Joe Biden.
“There is what Russia says and there is what Russia does. We’re focused on the latter,” said Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, “And what Russia is doing is they continue the brutalization of Ukraine and its people, and that continues as we speak,” he continued.
The Pentagon sees signs of Russian troops withdrawing from Kyiv but warns that movement is likely more designed to bolster forces in the Eastern part of the country.
As the war drags on, the number of people forced to leave their homes continues to grow.
“Today, we crossed the four million mark. I think it’s a tragic milestone. It means that in less than a month or in just about a month, four million people have been uprooted from their homes, from their families, their communities in what is the fastest exodus of refugees moving in recent history,” said Alex Mundt, the UNHCR senior emergency coordinator in Poland.
President Biden spoke again, Wednesday, with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
According to Zelenskyy, the two discussed specific defensive support needed, new sanctions, and the various types of aid Ukraine is requesting.
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