Meanwhile, in the Donbas region, near Bakhmut, the Ukrainians have continued to effectively defend against continued Russian attacks, although we have seen Russian forces make some minor gains, in terms of territory, but we're talking a few hundred meters, nothing considerably substantial at this stage. In the vicinity of Lyman, east of Izyum, we do see continued fighting, to include artillery. In the meantime, the Russians continue to attempt to shore up their - their defensive lines and - and solidify their position. We've observed fighting in the vicinity to the east of Kupiansk. In terms of - just a - a quick walk around the battlefield - and again, for tactical level detail, I'd refer you to the Ukrainians - but in the vicinity of Kharkiv, we assess that the Ukrainians continue to make efforts to consolidate their gains and are holding the border to the southeast. Ladies and gentlemen, just a - a few things to add to that. SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Thank you, ma'am. And we will continue to also work on Ukraine's mid and long term needs, even as we support their fight today.Īnd that's it from me for now. It was a $600 million package and the 21st presidential drawdown package. I know that last week, you heard (inaudible) detail the most recent security assistance package provided for Ukraine's critical needs. So we here at the Department of Defense will continue - we will continue to provide Ukraine with what they need for their current fight, when they need it. Now we're seeing the Russians retaliating for Ukrainian gains, they're targeting critical and civilian infrastructure. terms.īut we all know that this fight is far from over. If you look at the geography, this is more than Rhode Island and Delaware combined, in U.S. In eastern Ukraine, Ukraine now controls all its territory west of the Oskil River and is - has liberated over 300 settlements in Kharkiv province. Meanwhile, from the Ukrainians, we continue to see their high morale as they continue to push forward in a very deliberate fashion. Our information indicates that Wagner has been suffering high losses in Ukraine, especially and unsurprisingly among young and inexperienced fighters. We believe this is part of Wagner's campaign to recruit over 1,500 convicted felons but many are refusing. Now, many of you have likely seen the video circulating on social media of the private military contractor, Wagner's leader Prigozhin, trying to recruit Russian prisoners as well as Tajik - Tajiks, Belarusians, and Armenians to join the fight in Ukraine. We're seeing the Kremlin increasingly straining to find new recruits to fill out their thin ranks, and the Russians are performing so poorly that the news from Kharkiv province has inspired many Russian volunteers to refuse combat. On September 1st, you might recall President Putin called for the entirety of Donetsk province to be under Russian control by September 15th, but Putin's forces clearly have failed to deliver. The bottom line, as we look at the battlefield, is that Russia is failing in its strategic objective. Just a few things from me today to - to kick things off. SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Hello, good afternoon.
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