Fighting in Ukraine slows as winter bites: Outlook is ‘optimistic’, US intelligence chief says 

Fighting in Ukraine is slowing down as winter sets in, but the outlook is “optimistic” for Volodymyr Zelensky’s troops next year, the US intelligence chief has said.

Avril Haines said Russian withdrawals after a series of defeats in eastern Ukraine and the onset of freezing weather had changed the pace of the battle.

“We’re already seeing sort of a slowdown in the conflict and hopefully that’s what we’ll see in the coming months,” the Director of National Intelligence said.

This means that both sides will seek to “refit, resupply and reconstitute” ahead of a possible Ukrainian counter-offensive in the spring, he added. And intelligence agencies doubt Russia has the ability or willingness to meet that challenge next year.

Miss Haines said: “I think it’s more optimistic for Ukrainians in that period of time.”

Fighting in Ukraine is slowing down as winter sets in, but the outlook is “optimistic” for Volodymyr Zelensky’s troops next year, the US intelligence chief has said. In the photo: Bakhmut in the Donetsk region today

Avril Haines (pictured) said Russian withdrawals after a series of defeats in eastern Ukraine and the onset of freezing weather had changed the pace of the battle.

The comments will bring hope that the war will finally come to an end a little over a year after it began.

Vladimir Putin launched his illegal invasion in February, but it was immediately thwarted as his troops failed to take the capital, Kyiv, or other central areas.

Russian forces withdrew to focus on the east and south of the country, initially gaining territory but later losing much of it during a Ukrainian counteroffensive in August and September.

It has been reported that Russia’s top military commanders have not informed Putin of the seriousness of the situation, as tens of thousands of their soldiers have been killed.

Ms Haines said both sides will seek to “refit, resupply and reconstitute” ahead of a possible Ukrainian counter-offensive in the spring. Pictured: Medics working with a member of the Ukrainian army today at a frontline field hospital near Bakhmut

On Saturday, Zelensky (pictured meeting Friday with Ukrainian defenders who were released from Russian captivity) attacked Western efforts to attack Russia’s crucial oil industry, a key source of funds for Putin’s war machine, saying that its price cap of $60 a barrel on Russian oil imports were insufficient

Ms Haines said Putin was now “becoming more informed about the challenges facing the military in Russia.”

“But it’s still not clear to us if he has the full picture at this stage of how challenged they are.”

His comments came as British intelligence officials said recent polls suggested Russian public support for the invasion was “falling significantly”.

Yesterday’s update from the Defense Ministry said: ‘An independent Russian media outlet has claimed access to data collected by Russia’s Federal Protection Service for internal use. The data indicated that 55 percent of Russians are in favor of peace talks with Ukraine, and only 25 percent say they support the continuation of the conflict.

Vladimir Putin (pictured) launched his illegal invasion in February, but it was immediately thwarted when his troops failed to take the capital, Kyiv, or other central areas.

The Defense Ministry added: “Since Russia is unlikely to achieve major battlefield successes in the coming months, it is likely that maintaining even tacit approval of the war among the population will become increasingly difficult for the Kremlin.” .

On Saturday, Zelensky attacked Western efforts to attack Russia’s crucial oil industry, a key source of funds for Putin’s war machine, saying his $60-a-barrel price cap on Russian oil imports was insufficient. .

“It is not a serious decision to set such a limit for Russian prices, which is quite comfortable for the budget of the terrorist state,” the Ukrainian president said.