"Ukraine's biggest target"... The mystery of the "fat" Russian military column

Days after his move, the Russian military convoy heading towards Kyiv raises several questions about its current position, and the reality of the danger it poses to the Ukrainian capital.

The column faces obstacles that "inspired" the Ukrainians to resist, but despite that, Russian forces managed to increase pressure on Kyiv in the recent period and launched intense air attacks on civilians, according to a report by the Washington Post.

Under a lengthy headline about "a stranded Russian convoy apparently hiding mysteries", the newspaper was exposed to the situation of the Russian military column that extends for miles.

And a US official had previously said in a press statement about the military convoy, which is now about 30 km from Kyiv, that "the Russian soldiers are leaving the convoy, and the Ukrainian forces have inflicted great damage on it."

A senior Pentagon official told Free Murasat that Russian forces "still face strong Ukrainian resistance," and confirmed that the Russian military convoy outside Kyiv was still suspended.

US officials attribute this apparent pause in part to logistical failures on the Russian side, including food and fuel shortages, as well as attacks by Ukrainian soldiers against specific positions in the column.

However, officials warn that the Russians can regroup at any moment and continue to move forward.

The newspaper says that the Russian military convoy did not provoke fear in the hearts of the Ukrainians, but rather "inspired" them to join the resistance and avenge the Russian invasion in any way possible.

Indeed, temporary barriers were erected throughout the capital to impede the entry of the convoy, buses were placed in some strategic roads to impede its passage, and checkpoints were established to arrest any potential saboteurs.

"We have a lot of gifts, not sweet but very painful," Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said in an interview.

In northern Kyiv, soldiers and volunteers dug trenches and erected anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns, and all but some grocery stores, gas stations and pharmacies were closed.

The British Ministry of Defense supports the assessment of US officials that Russia is trying to correct course to overcome logistical challenges, but this move also provides more potential targets for the Ukrainians, such as fuel trucks, which are exactly one of the "soft targets", according to Representative Jason, Democrat in the US House of Representatives. Crowe, who has fought in Afghanistan and Iraq, has visited Ukraine in recent weeks.

"I call that convoy the biggest and fattest target in Ukraine," said Retired Naval Admiral James Stavridis, who previously served as Supreme Commander of Allied Powers in Europe, noting that certain fighter jets are capable of blowing them up.

The report says that the sight of this column could encourage world public opinion to provide Ukraine with additional aircraft and ammunition.

The issue of providing Ukraine with improved air power has dominated talks among NATO allies over the past week, but it does not appear that combat aircraft will be sent after Russian threats of dire consequences for countries participating in the war on Ukraine's side.

On Tuesday, Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky accused the West of "not keeping the promises" it made to protect Ukraine from Russian attacks, and said: "We have been hearing promises for 13 days. They have been telling us for 13 days that they will help us by air, that there will be planes and that they will deliver them to us." ".

But in addition to the risks of expanding the conflict, Ukrainian pilots are more familiar with operating, maintaining and repairing Soviet-era MiGs.

"Most likely, Russian forces have local air superiority, so it is doubtful that Ukrainian forces will have a good opportunity to attack," Russian military expert Michael Kaufman said of the current situation in Kyiv.

Given this imbalance, he added, the "best chance for the Ukrainians" to damage the column at this point "is by using drones".

Ukraine has had some success in hitting Russian targets with Turkish-made drones.

For now, it remains to be seen whether the Ukrainians are able to inflict enough damage on the convoy and other Russian supply lines to impede the Russian advance, and whether their efforts will be timely enough to alter the course of the fighting.

But as Russia's ground advances hit snags, the bombardment of Ukrainian cities appears to be intensifying.

"Russia has increased its use of long-range firepower to supplement or make up for the lack of ground advances," a senior US defense official said Monday.

For all their bravery in fighting the caravan, the people of Kyiv also watched in desperation as cities elsewhere were bombed and ways to escape were cut off.

Despite the residents' preparations to enter the Kyiv convoy, they knew that they might not have a chance to get out soon because the Russians had already taken control of many of the surrounding roads.

More than 1.5 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the Russian invasion, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said, making it "the worst refugee crisis since World War II".

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