WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th April, 2022) White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that Russia will likely prepare to send tens of thousands of additional troops to the frontline in the east of Ukraine.
"Russia likely prepares to deploy dozens of additional battalion tactical groups constituting tens of thousands of soldiers to the frontline in Ukraine's east," Sullivan said on Monday.
The United States also expects that the Russian forces will do what they can to hold the city of Kherson and ascertain control of the water flow to Crimea, he said.
Sullivan pointed out that Russia still has forces available to outnumber Ukraine and Moscow is now concentrating its military power on fewer lines of attack.
"Next stage of this conflict may very well be protracted," he said.
On February 24, Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine after the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk requested help to defend them from attacks by Ukrainian troops.
In response to the special operation, the United States and its allies have imposed comprehensive sanctions against Russia. Moscow has prepared a list of "unfriendly countries" that imposed sanctions or otherwise have behaved aggressively and said that it will respond in a manner of its own time and choosing.
