JRL NEWSWATCH: “U.S. intel chief says Russia is using up ammunition in Ukraine faster than it can replace it” – NBC
“Putin has been ‘surprised’ at the lackluster performance of his military but his political objectives for the war have not changed, the intelligence director said.”
“Russian forces in Ukraine are burning through ammunition faster than … [Russian] industry can replace it, … Avril Haines said …. prompting Moscow to look to other countries for help, including North Korea …. [A]mmunition was just one of a number of challenges facing Russia[] …, Haines said, citing … morale and logistics [problems] as well. … [T]he [war’s] tempo … appear[s] to be slowing … with the onset of winter … [B]oth militaries [will] be trying to reset and regroup for more fighting in the spring [according to Haines]. But … the intelligence community ha[s] a ‘fair amount of skepticism’ that Russian forces [will] be … [ready] for renewed clashes in March. … [C]riticism of … the war[‘s] [conduct] inside Russia has been on the rise from political figures, and that could influence [Putin’s] decision making …. “