Ukraine still in control of major cities, Belarus could support invasion with troops | DW News

Notwithstanding its overwhelming advantages, the Russian military campaign in Ukraine is meeting stiffer-than-expected resistance from Ukrainian forces. What could the next stage look like? The Kremlin has declined to comment on details of the military operation, and its Defense Ministry is adamant that the campaign has been successful. A senior US defense official said there were indications that in the last 24 hours Moscow had become frustrated by slow progress due to the unexpectedly strong Ukrainian defense and failure to achieve complete air dominance. The UK’s Ministry of Defense tweeted that Russian military progress was stalling. The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington-based think tank, notes that Ukrainian resistance remains highly effective, despite the Russians’ huge advantage in firepower. Analysts say that the Russian military leadership has been taken by surprise by the lack of impact its aerial campaign is having. “The Russian forces have a hard time suppressing the