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The US believes that Ukraine should "refocus" on preparations for a new offensive, suggesting fierce battles for the eastern city of Artyomovsk (called Bakhmut by Ukraine) may be "hampering" Kiev. The comments cut against months of Western media reports that described the town as a key, strategic area.Kiev's battle losses are bad publicity for its arm-chair, war-invested benefactors.
The aid includes a large number of artillery rounds, munitions for the US-supplied HIMARS multi-launch rocket platform, and, for the first time, Stryker combat vehicles - but no tanks. A small number of Ukrainian troops are also undergoing training at a US base in Germany, with some learning how to operate the Patriot missile defense battery authorized for Kiev in December.
The official allegedly said that Western weapons that will be needed for a "mobile offensive force" for future battles are currently "pouring into Ukraine," adding that Kiev should not waste its limited resources on the "strategically unimportant target," according to Reuters.
While much of the Western press - including outlets such as PBS, NBC, CBS, the New York Times, and others - have repeatedly deemed the city a key hub of major strategic importance, US officials have voiced an altogether different view in recent days.
National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said earlier on Friday:"Even if Moscow successfully captures the city, it's not going to strategically change the dynamics on the battlefield. It's not going to set the Ukrainians back to a degree where they're all of a sudden on the back foot and they're losing."While it remains unclear whether Kiev will heed the advice, the comments from US officials came on the heels of a Friday report by Der Spiegel, which cited Germany's Federal Intelligence Agency (BND) as being "alarmed" over heavy losses suffered by Ukrainian troops in the area. Earlier this week, British newspaper The Times also reported that Kiev had sent poorly equipped troops with little combat experience to defend Artyomovsk.
Lol - Nothing fosters & bolsters confidence of support like we have your back in this war, but wait & bleed out while we get prepared after the winter & everything thaws out.