/nginx/o/2022/05/30/14587981t1h036c.jpg?fit=%2C&ssl=1 "There are conflicting views in Moscow on the winter offensive in Ukraine")
Russian President Vladimir Putin has publicly called on the country’s military leadership to present to him “short- and medium-term” plans for the next steps in the war he launched a decade ago.
“I think we are seeing mixed things,” the US official said of the Russian government’s assessment of the matter.
“Right now there are some who I think want to continue the offensives in Ukraine. There are others who have serious doubts about Russia’s ability to do so,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
According to the official, the United States “will scale up and adapt quickly” if the nature of the invasion changes.
“What we have done, and what we continue to do, is to ensure that, to the best of our ability, Ukrainians have the means to effectively protect themselves from Russian aggression.”
The Ukrainians, for their part, “show no signs of slowing down” in their fight to recapture territory due to bad weather, the official said.
“I think the Russians should take this factor into consideration,” he added.
Ukraine’s military leadership has warned that Moscow is preparing for a major winter offensive, including an attack to capture Kiev as soon as the ground freezes.
