Russia lacks precision-guided missiles in its war against Ukraine, Western officials say, and its arms factories are unable to produce enough to meet demand..
The Financial Times writes about it..
Restrictions on arms supplies to Russia and the impact of Western sanctions mean Moscow has to transport missiles from other parts of the country to Ukraine, officials said on Friday.
“Their stocks are limited, they are depleting, and we see that they have to move Kalibr missiles from other strategic directions where they can be stored.. This gives some indication that their stockpile of precision-guided weapons is declining,"
The US official believes that the problems of the Russians with the replenishment of precision-guided munitions are caused both by the \? and Western sanctions, which "
These estimates come as the US and its European allies step up efforts to arm Kyiv and prepare for a protracted conflict, and the Joe Biden administration intends to send another $33 billion in aid to Ukraine..
Russia continues to fight in Ukraine, but on April 29, the Pentagon said the Russian army was at least days behind its goal of encircling Ukrainian forces in Donbas..
“We believe that they intended to go much further in terms of completely encircling Ukrainian forces in the east, and they were unable to connect the north with the south.. In fact, they are not even close to connecting the north with the south as the Ukrainians continue to resist,” said a senior US Department of Defense official..
US believes Russia's advance in Donbas has been 'slow and uneven' as its forces meet stiff resistance from Ukraine.
The Russians achieved a limited offensive southeast and southwest of Izyum and in the direction of Slavyansk and Barvinkovo.
U.S. believes Russia is trying to move forces north of Mariupol, but progress is slow there too, U.S. official said.
Russian forces have shelled central and western Ukraine to try to prevent Ukraine from replenishing and reinforcing its troops in the south and east, the official said..