Here’s what US officials said Thursday about the state of war in Ukraine.
March 11, 2022, 00:10
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The Pentagon provides daily updates on the Russian invasion of Ukraine and Ukraine’s efforts to resist.
Here are the highlights of what a senior US Department of Defense official told reporters on Thursday:
Explosions are seen during shelling of a residential area in Mariupol, Ukraine on March 10, 2022.
The Russians are closing in on Kiev
The Russian forces closest to the heart of Kyiv are advancing from the northwest, near the Gostomel airport. Since Wednesday, those troops have fought their way up to three miles closer, the official said, bringing them about nine miles from downtown. The airport is only five miles from the outskirts of the city.
Two parallel lines of advance from the northeast are also advancing towards the capital, the nearest of these units is now about 25 miles from the center of Kyiv.
Some of the Russian troops from one of these lines, emanating from the city of Sumy, apparently turned around and headed back to the northeast. The official said the reason for the reversal is unclear.
Russian bombardment continues
According to the official, Russian troops fired more than 775 rockets into Ukraine. That’s down from Wednesday’s estimate of 710.
A U.S. Army MIM-104 Patriot missile defense launcher stands pointing east at Rzeszow Jasionska Airport, which is currently being used by the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, on March 8, 2022 near Rzeszow, Poland.
No patriots in Ukraine
The official said there were no talks at the Pentagon to send the Patriot systems to Ukraine because they would require U.S. troops on the ground to operate them.
“This is not the system Ukrainians are familiar with. And, as we have made clear, there will be no American troops fighting in Ukraine,” the official said.
Other air defense options for Ukraine
According to the official, security assistance continues to flow into Ukraine even in the last 24 hours.
While the US is sending its own anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, it is also working with other countries to send items that are not in the US arsenal but could be used effectively by Ukrainian forces.
When questioned, the official said that this includes air defense systems that are “more advanced” than shoulder-launched Stinger missiles sent by the US. So while the Pentagon has rejected the idea of sending Patriot missile batteries, it could help facilitate the transfer or replenishment of similar systems that Ukrainians are training on.
A man rides his bicycle in front of a shelled apartment building in Mariupol, Ukraine, on March 9, 2022.
Ukraine makes little use of its fighters
The official repeated the Pentagon’s refusal of Poland’s offer to transfer its fleet of MiG-29 fighters to Ukraine through the mediation of the United States.
“We do not support the proposal, according to which the planes will be transferred to us under protection, and then imported into Ukraine,” the official said.
The Ministry of Defense considers sending planes a secondary form of support for Ukraine, despite requests from Ukrainian officials.
“They don’t use their planes in everyday life very often. We’re not judging here, it’s just a fact. What they use very effectively to slow down the advance of the Russians, especially in the north, is their own anti-aircraft missile systems and MANPADS, as well as … anti-tank ammunition, ”the official said.