Russia facing resistance in north of Ukraine, says US defense official

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - Russian forces are stalled in the north of Ukraine, a senior US defense official said Tuesday as Moscow’s war against its neighbor is in its 13th day.

"We continue to see Ukrainian resistance efforts to slow down the Russians particularly in the north, near Kyiv. We still observe that Russian forces have not moved closer to the city center in the northwest," the official told reporters on the condition of anonymity.

The official said Russia fired 670 missiles into Ukraine as of Tuesday, almost half of them are being fired from Russia and the other half largely from inside Ukraine.

The official also said Russians have not yet achieved air superiority over the entire country.

On the no-fly zone above Ukraine, the official said: "It's just important to remind that nearly all of the Ukraine is in some way or another under the umbrella of Russian surface-to-air missile capabilities."

Russia's war on Ukraine has drawn international condemnation, led to financial sanctions on Moscow and spurred an exodus of global firms from Russia.

The West has also imposed biting export restrictions on key technologies that are now prohibited from being sent to Russia.

Russia's war, which began Feb. 24, has drawn international condemnation, led to financial sanctions on Moscow and spurred an exodus of global firms from Russia.

The West has also imposed biting export restrictions on key technologies that are now prohibited from being sent to Russia.

At least 406 civilians have been killed and 801 injured in Ukraine since the beginning of the war, according to the UN, while noting that conditions on the ground make it difficult to verify the true number.

Some 2 million people have also fled to neighboring countries, said the UN refugee agency.