Wet weather in eastern Ukraine reportedly slows Russian tanks (Photos: Getty)
Ukraine said Russia had suffered “colossal losses” in its struggle to seize the Donbass region.
The Kremlin’s forces are focusing their attack on eastern Ukraine – where Moscow has separatist support – after losing their battle for Kyiv.
They have since sunk in wet weather, making them easy targets for the Ukrainian military, according to Western officials.
Presidential Adviser to President Vladimir Zelensky, Alexei Arestovich, said on Friday: “We have serious losses, but the losses of the Russians are much greater… They have colossal losses.”
A Pentagon spokesman confirmed that Russian forces were “making slow and uneven and, frankly, gradual progress in Donbass”.
This is blamed on “Russia’s logistics and sustainability challenges”.
The United States and the United Kingdom have said slow progress means Russia is unlikely to win by May 9. (Photo: Getty) Muddy land means Russian tanks must rely on roads (Photo: Getty)
The official added: “As it starts to rain more and there is more mud, it will force them to rely more and more on paved roads and paved highways and that we would expect some of their progress to be slowed down by, frankly, mud and from meteorological conditions’.
Vladimir Putin is reportedly hoping for a victory in Ukraine by May 9, when Russia will celebrate its “victory” parade.
In fact, the Kremlin recently unveiled its new intercontinental ballistic missile, called the Satan II, designed to replace Cold War-era equipment.
But British Armed Forces Secretary James Happy said Russia was unlikely to win many positions so far.
He told BBC Radio 4: “If they try to achieve anything by May 9, they will be forced to stay on the roads because the mud does not allow armored maneuver through the country.
“What we will see are heavily channeled Russian columns, which, as we saw north of Kyiv, give Ukrainians a fairly easy choice.”
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