Five days into Russia' invasion of Ukraine, it appears things haven't gone specifically to set up for national leader therefore far. Western intelligence officers briefed repeatedly over the weekend that Russian forces have encountered "stiffer than expected" resistance from an outmanned and outgunned Ukrainian military. Russia has up to now didn't take key cities across Ukraine, as well as the capital Kyiv. On Sunday, Ukrainian forces with success repelled a Russian advance on a strategic facility close to Kharkiv, Ukraine' second-largest city, that has been underneath near-constant attack. additionally to a fierce fightback from Ukrainian forces and civilians, the Russian invasion has suffered logistic challenges, with troopers on the line running wanting fuel, ammunition associate degreed food. "They are having problems," a world organisation official aforementioned of the Russian forces, inform to the alliance' latest intelligence. "They lack diesel, they're continuing method too slow and morale is clearly an issue." however a senior USA defense official told reporters on Sunday that Russia has solely used simple fraction of the entire combat power applied to the mission, exploit a major quantity of forces out there to press the offensive. And on Monday, a miles-long convoy of Russian military vehicles was bearing down on the Ukrainian capital, whereas Kyiv' intelligence conjointly suggests European nation is ready to affix the Russian invasion, consistent with a Ukrainian official. Representatives from Ukraine associate degreed Russia were meeting Monday on the Belarusian border. In those talks, Ukraine can put in force an "immediate ceasefire" and therefore the withdrawal of Russian troops -- though, realistically, nobody is expecting that to happen. Putin, it seems, hasn't simply misjudged Ukraine' ability to defend itself, however also just however arduous a line the international community would take against Russia within the event of an invasion. For years, the Russian president has baby-faced little or no pushback from the West over his unlawful annexation of Ukraine' Crimea, his brutal support for the Syrian regime and acts of aggression in alternative countries. For all their robust words of condemnation for solon and his regime, Western countries still bought gas from Russia, offered a secure haven to Russian oligarchs and maintained comparatively traditional diplomatic relations with Moscow. however now around -- despite a couple of early rocky patches that saw Western nations suspect of not striking Russia arduous enough -- Putin has faced an oddly united Western alliance. From new sanctions that are already symptom the Russian economy to international sport slowly turning on Moscow, Russia' international unfortunate standing becomes a lot of acute by the hour. The economic pain will solely intensify as time goes on. The ruble lost regarding 20% of its price against the greenback on Monday afternoon, and Russia' financial organization has raised interest rates from 9.5% to 20%, a move that may hit Russian voters in their pockets., those self same citizens would possibly presently surprise simply why solon is risking such a lot for a war that didn't ought to happen. Of course, things are terribly fluid on the bottom {and could|and can} amendment very quickly. There' very little hope that Monday' talks will yield a deescalation, and nobody expects this war to finish within the immediate future -- either by force or by agreement. however it' doubtless that Putin, having return this far, will throw a lot of at Ukraine in the returning days. However, because the invasion enters its second week, it' not possible to ignore the actual fact that Putin' best-laid plans are met with firmer resistance than he -- and plenty of of his opponents -- ever imagined.
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