The US Department of Defense estimates that there are now 76 Russian battalion tactical groups deployed in Ukraine, approximately 11 of those had been added over the last several days.

Militarnyi informs about it.

It is also noted that there are roughly 22 BTGs of the enemy north of Ukraine on the outside of state border that are likely being resupplied and refitted, writes the US Department of Defense.

Mariupol

About a dozen of the battalion tactical groups deployed to Ukraine are now trying to take Mariupol.

“Our assessment is that Mariupol is still contested. The city remains under threat from heavy Russian airstrikes and artillery,” the Defense Ministry official said.

Should Mariupol fall to the Russians, that would free approximately the dozen of BTGs to be used elsewhere in the east or south of Ukraine, the Pentagon said.

Previously, on April 18, Serhii Volyna and Denis Prokopenko, Commanders of Mariupol defenders addressed to the global community with the request to provide Ukraine with heavy armament.

There is also information about a possible naval landing operation in the Mariupol area, but this information has not yet been confirmed.

“We can’t confirm that independently, but we’re certainly not in a position to dispute it,” the official said.

Use of the fleet

As for the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the US Department of Defense noted that the Russian navy is maintaining a standoff distance from Odesa, not getting too close amid the “Moskva” sinking.

The United States points out that the Russians have amphibious capabilities, but whether they will be used is currently neither confirmed nor denied.

Situation in Donbas

According to the US Department of Defense, the heaviest fighting is happening in the area of Popasna in the Luhansk region.

It was reported on April 18 that there are ongoing fights for the city of Kreminna.

“The Donbas region has been a hot war for eight years. Both sides have traded geography with some violence over the last eight years, and the Ukrainians do have a not insignificant force posture there, and they are fighting,” the official said.

Missile shelling

The Pentagon’s assessment is that cruise missile strikes on Kyiv and Lviv in recent days are an attempt by Russians to go after primarily military targets or “what they believe to be military targets”.

Military assistance

The U.S. Army and Marine Corps 155 mm howitzers that are in the United States have been earmarked for Ukraine and will be shipped soon, the US Department of Defense official said. Since Ukrainian armed forces are not familiar with this type of artillery, there will be training to “train-the-trainer” for Ukrainians outside of Ukraine in the coming days.

As reported earlier, Lithuania and the United Kingdom are setting up training centers for the Ukrainian servicemen, where they will be able to receive instructions needed to master the newest weapons.