LOS ANGELES (Dagbladet): Last week, Russian and American military leaders met for a face-to-face meeting in the Russian Ministry of Defense. According to minutes CNN has gained access to from the meetings, one of the Russian generals, Yevgeny Ilyin, is said to have made a very unusual, emotional outburst.
US authorities interpret this as a sign of a greater problem with the morale of the Russian military during the invasion of Ukraine.
Public meeting: – We have to think differently
Meetings of this type are usually very formal, and where most of the time is spent reading texts that have been written in advance.
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According to the minutes from the American side, the mood was tense during the meeting and there must have been visible signs of stress among the Russian participants.
The Russian Major General, Yevgeny Ilyin, is the Deputy Commander of the Directorate for International Cooperation in the Russian Defense Forces. During the meeting, he defied the usual practice and spoke without pre-written notes.
– Excited
As the meeting drew to a close, one of the American participants was to “informally” ask about Ilyin’s family background in Ukraine.
The Russian general’s stoic appearance was suddenly agitated, it is stated in the minutes, according to CNN.
Drama behind the scenes
Ilyin is said to have replied that he was born in Dnipretrovsk before the family moved to Donetsk where he went to school. Ilyin then commented on the current situation in Ukraine.
– It is tragic and I am very depressed about this, Ilyin said before he left the meeting without taking anyone by the hand, according to the minutes.
Neither the US nor Russian authorities have commented on CNN’s information.
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– Growing problem
According to Western intelligence, morale among Russian soldiers is low. The invasion has not gone according to plan either, and several experts believe it is beginning to approach a deadlocked situation.
– We have indications that morale is a growing problem in the Russian forces fighting in Ukraine. As time goes on and they continue to fail to make progress on the ground, as they wish, we have seen increasing indications that morale and unity are an issue, Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at a news conference on Tuesday.
– Will be Putin’s biggest problem
On Wednesday, British intelligence reported that Ukrainian forces carry out successful counterattacks against Russian positions in cities on the outskirts of the capital
According to the intelligence, it is likely that Ukrainian forces have taken back the Makariv and Moschun areas, and that they may soon surround Russian forces in Bucha and Irpin.
Ukraine is increasing pressure on Russian forces north-east of Kyiv, while Russian forces are still struggling with supply problems, according to the assessment.
– According to plan
Putin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said on Tuesday that Putin had not yet reached his goals in Ukraine, but that everything was going according to plan.
“The special operation (Russian authorities’ words for the war in Ukraine journ.anm.) Goes exactly according to the plans and intentions that were established in advance,” Peskov told CNN.
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