The New York Times has found out what the US military thinks will happen on the Ukrainian front.
Ukrainian army will be able to withstand the onslaught of the Russian army
According to a confidential assessment of the US military, Russian soldiers will continue to advance in Ukraine in the coming days, but the defeat of the Ukrainian army is considered unlikely.
The Russian army will continue to "make minor gains in the east and southeast until 9 May," which is of symbolic importance to the Kremlin.
According to the newspaper's insiders, the conclusion of the US military's analysis is that "the Ukrainian military will not be completely defeated along the front line, despite the acute shortage of ammunition".
The NYT also spoke to other anonymous sources who claimed that the Ukrainian military does not have the strength and resources to launch a major offensive before 9 May.
This would require a significant build-up of forces, which American officials do not see, the insider explained.
In addition, the US military predicts that the Ukrainian Armed Forces will be able to stabilise the front line with new military assistance from Western allies at best in the summer and at worst by the end of the year.
Russia may resort to "aggressive tactics"
According to the head of the US National Intelligence Agency, Avrila Haines, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is likely to resort to aggressive tactics given that domestic and international events are developing in his favour.
Haines points out that the aggressor country, Russia, has stepped up its attacks on Ukraine's infrastructure to prevent Kyiv from moving weapons and troops.
Putin's increasingly aggressive tactics against Ukraine, such as strikes on Ukraine's electricity infrastructure, are intended to convince Ukraine that continuing the war will only increase the damage to Ukraine and offer no plausible path to victory, she explained.
