U.S. Policy on Russia’s Donbas Reloads
On Monday (April 11) a U.S. defense official—who kept his identity hush‑hush—stated that Russia’s latest move in eastern Ukraine is “just a refueling exercise,” not a prelude to a brand‑new offensive. In plain words, the U.S. thinks Russia is giving its troops in Donbas a little pep talk and a full PT kit, but nothing that shows “attack mode” yet.
What Russia is Up To in Donbas
The official stressed key points:
- Russia is beefing up its forces in Donbas, a region still a stone’s throw north of the town of Izyum.
- Trucks carrying command gear, air‑support crews, and infantry buckled‑down squads are making the round‑trip to the front.
- Thousands of Russian soldiers are gathering near the eastern frontier, but that alone doesn’t mean a full‑on flashpoint is next.
Last week, the Russians pulled out from the Kyiv perimeter and shunted troops to Belarus for a quick pit‑stop. Now, whispers suggest a few of those Belarus‑deployed troops are plotting a sideways move toward the east.
Big Picture on Russian Units
Right now, the bulk of Russia’s battalion‑level units remain in Ukraine, especially in the southern hot zone—more than 55 groups are stationed there.
Ukraine’s Airspace Saga
The Russian Defense Ministry bragged about a sea‑launched strike that allegedly knocked out “S‑300” anti‑aircraft missiles supplied by a European ally. Yet, U.S. sources could confirm only a single FAA‑bearing airstrike at the Dnipro airfield that wrecked some infrastructure. No concrete evidence surfaced that any S‑300 system was actually obliterated.
U.S. Drone Training – A Quick Glimpse
In the summer weekend, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had a short chat with a handful of Ukrainian soldiers in the U.S. These troops had been sent for elite Switchblade drone courses before the invasion began. They were slated to return to Ukraine the following Sunday, and no new plans were announced for additional Ukrainian units in U.S. training centers. However, Washington is still exploring ways to get Ukrainians up to speed on these aerial gadgets.
Bottom line: While Russian forces are rearing up and giddy up in Donbas, the United States considers this a “maintenance of force” stage, not a coup‑de‑blanc. Stay tuned – the geopolitical drama is still in rehearsal.
