Russian forces 'humiliating' ... but can still crush Ukraine: Officials warn Vladimir Putin's forces are gaining territory, and the defending soldiers are now outnumbered three to one.
A general known as "The Butcher" fixed the progression performance
Officials believe that it will be difficult to expel the Russians from the areas in which they have won
Russian forces launched a blitzkrieg on Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine
Putin also announced the "successful liberation" of the southern city of Mariupol
He ordered his troops to shut down the steel mill housing the remaining defenders
Meanwhile, the United States announced another round of arms and financial aid shipments to Ukraine
Western officials warned last night of a "ritual humiliation" of Russian forces in Ukraine, but they are still trying to win the war.
In their darkest assessment of the campaign from its early days, they admitted that Vladimir Putin's forces were gaining territory and currently outnumbered the defenders by three to one.
Moscow's forces failed in their initial invasion goals, as Ukraine inflicted a series of humiliating defeats on it.
The shift came after a general known as "The Butcher," a veteran of the Syrian campaign, reformed the performance of the Russian advance.
Western officials credited General Alexander Dvornikov, who had become commander in chief two weeks earlier, credited the reversal of Russia's fortunes.
His capture came after Russia failed to capture any major cities, its retreat from Kyiv, the loss of 30,000 soldiers, and hundreds of planes and tanks.
Since then, drones, missile systems, and electronic warfare have changed, potentially providing Putin with a platform to claim victory.
"This is a new chapter in the election campaign, and despite his past failures, Putin is still in a position to win," an official said. Russia has concentrated enough force that if it uses it intelligently, it should be able to destroy a large part of the Ukrainian forces.
Officials now believed it would be challenging to drive the Russians out of the territories they won with this numerical advantage and more effective leadership.
But they said that many Russian units now targeting eastern Ukraine and the Donbas region did not have time to properly reconstitute after receiving an attack in the failed advance on Kyiv.
The new phase of the war in a "fragmented" manner with limited effect, with "relatively small terrain areas. Significant cities, their retreat from Kyiv, the loss of 30 thousand soldiers, and hundreds of planes and tanks.
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