STAFF: Hey, good afternoon, women and gents, Brigadier Common Pat Ryder right here, DoD Press Secretary. Thanks for becoming a member of us for at present’s background briefing on Ukraine. Becoming a member of us at present are [omitted], who could also be attributed to as “a senior protection official,” and [omitted], who could also be attributed as “a senior army official.”
Once more, at present’s briefing is on background. We’ll take as many questions as we’re ready within the time now we have allotted for at present.
And with that, let me flip it over to our senior protection official.
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Hi there, good afternoon. It is a pleasure to be with you once more, and sit up for your questions.
What I believed I might do on the entrance finish is simply give a little bit of context on a bit of reports from the Kremlin from late final week. This was President Putin’s order to extend the dimensions of the Russian Armed Forces by 137,000 efficient January of 2023. The best way that the Kremlin framed the announcement, they mentioned it will enhance the dimensions of the Russian army to 1.15 million.
I needed to share with you our perspective that this effort is unlikely to succeed, as Russia has traditionally not met personnel finish power targets. And actually, in the event you have a look at the Russian Armed Forces previous to the invasion, they might have already been 150,000 personnel in need of their million-personnel aim. So that is, once more, previous to the invasion in February. Additionally previous to the invasion, roughly 1 / 4 of the personnel have been conscripts, and the rest have been skilled troopers. To this point, we have seen Moscow has been attempting to make use of largely skilled troopers, versus conscripts, within the Ukraine battle.
Only one different level so as to add: Russia has already begun attempting to develop recruitment efforts to workers a minimum of one volunteer battalion per federal district, and to boost a brand new third Army corps. They’ve completed this partly by eliminating the higher age restrict for brand new recruits, and in addition by recruiting of prisoners. Many of those new recruits have been noticed as older, unfit and ill-trained. So what this all suggests to us is that any extra personnel Russia is ready to muster by the tip of the yr might not, in actual fact, enhance total Russian (inaudible).
[Crosstalk]
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: You heard virtually the entire thing, that — that this means that any extra personnel that Russia truly can muster by the tip of the yr, in actual fact, might not enhance total Russian fight energy. And hopefully, you heard all the remainder of what I mentioned. However I simply needed to offer that extra context earlier than we go to questions.
STAFF: Okay. Let me flip it over to our senior army official.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Hello, all people. [omitted]
However in any case, hear, day 187 of Russia’s unlawful and unprovoked large-scale invasion of Ukraine, so we’re previous the six-month mark now. Actually fast battlefield tour right here, as a result of I do know you are fascinated about answering questions. I — to start with, you understand, important open-source reporting referenced exercise in southern Ukraine. I’ll provide the identical reply whenever you ask me a query, however the backside line is I’ll refer you to the Ukrainians, and the Ukrainians are capable of speak in a lot larger element about it. However I do know you are listening to these bits of data, as nicely.
I’d level you to the U.N. Workplace of the Excessive Commissioner for Human Rights, who estimates — or that estimates that over 500 civilians have been killed in simply over the previous two weeks. That quantity’s most likely tougher — or larger. I do know you — everybody reported final week on the assault on the prepare station in Chaplyne and, you understand, one other instance of usually indiscriminate goal on behalf of the Russians.
So when it comes to the battlefield, fairly actually, there’ve been no main geographic shifts because the final time I talked to you, which was about three weeks in the past, fairly actually. So some minor changes across the battlespace and neighborhood of Kharkiv. We all know that the Russians, once more, are firing into the town, have fired into the town, some airstrikes over the weekend that went into Kharkiv correct, however no main changes of the fore line of troops in that exact a part of the battlespace
Similar factor round Siversk to Bakhmut. Though I do know quite a few you reported the Russians have made some preliminary features or made some small features within the neighborhood of Bakhmut, a few of these have gone forwards and backwards, however once more, no main changes.
Heavy artillery and airstrikes in Donetsk. In Zaporizhzhia — and I do know we’ll speak a bunch about Zaporizhzhia at present — you understand, we all know that there are airstrikes and artillery bombardment which have gone on across the nuclear energy plant.
We additionally know with nice confidence that the Russians are firing from the world across the nuclear energy plant, and as lots of you all have reported, utilizing the nuclear energy plant to retailer a bunch of their tools. And so, you understand, definitely not useful in all the course of.
Within the neighborhood of Kherson, once more, an uptick in kinetic exercise over the previous few days, together with artillery and rockets, and as I discussed to you earlier than, I haven’t got particulars on whether or not or not an offensive has begun down in Kherson, however now we have seen an uptick of preventing in that portion of the battlespace
Within the Black Sea, a few half dozen ships stay underway, portion of them (inaudible) succesful, after which continued air — within the air, we see that the air stays contested in Ukraine. So Russian forces proceed to make use of airstrikes primarily within the south and the east.
As Dr. Kahl briefed final week, the Ukrainians have been very profitable in using their belongings as nicely. After which we proceed to coach Ukrainians in a foreign country.
And so I will maintain there and sit up for answering your questions with – [omitted].
STAFF: Thanks very a lot, sir.
All proper, let’s go to Lita Baldor, Related Press.
Q: Hello. Thanks for this.
I am questioning if — [omitted], I do know you may’t give us any obvious particulars on this counteroffensive. You mentioned there’s been an uptick in preventing. Are you able to give us a way how massive of an uptick and is that this preventing from each side? Give us any sense of that you may.
After which one fast query for [omitted]. You talked about Russia utilizing prisoners — I — I — recruiting prisoners feels like an oxymoron. That might — it — it will sound to me like they — are they only drafting prisoners and sending them to the entrance or are you able to clarify that somewhat?
Thanks.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Okay, Lita, thanks.
So over the weekend, we noticed a bigger variety of artillery fires primarily coming from the Ukrainians. And so, you understand, I say “bigger” I would not — I would not exaggerate that but it surely’s an elevated quantity of artillery that we have seen coming from the Ukrainians.
After which they’ve — as you all know, for the previous couple of weeks, they’ve been making some small advances in and across the Kherson pocket for some time. So I do not need to mislead you right here and inform you that I do not suppose the offensive is underway. I — I’d simply — I might refer you to the Ukrainians proper now as a result of now we have seen some offensive motion in that space for the previous couple weeks.
And I will go it over to [omitted].
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Thanks.
I — I agree with you that the time period “recruiting” feels like a little bit of a — a misnomer. That’s the time period that I’ve seen used, when it comes to the Russian — Russians “recruiting” prisoners to attempt to fill out these more and more skinny ranks.
I haven’t got perception into sort of the person-to-person degree discussions that — that happen when these people are introduced out of jail and onto the battlefield. So no specifics on that.
STAFF: Thanks.
Let’s go to Tom Bowman, NPR.
Q: Yeah, for the senior army official, so that you say you actually cannot give us any particulars on this offensive. You see an uptick in preventing. You say go to the Ukrainians. The Ukrainians are saying it is a important counteroffensive. So clearly, you are not prepared to go that far, right?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Tom, I’m simply saying, I feel the Ukrainians have a greater manner of telling you what they’re doing than we do. I imply, even in the perfect case, you understand, I am getting my reporting from the Ukrainians. So —
Q: Nicely, are they telling you that it is a important counteroffensive? As a result of that is sort of what they’re saying publicly. Are you getting the identical factor? And if — if that is the case, why cannot you inform us it is a — a counteroffensive?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Nicely, I simply do not — I imply, hear, are they on the offensive? I feel they’re. Is that this a counteroffensive? I do not know. And the explanation I inform you that’s as a result of, as I mentioned, over the previous couple of weeks, we have seen them making some offensive strikes in and across the Kherson pocket.
So hear, I am — you understand, such as you, I’d like to have good info right here. I feel we’ll get some extra info over the course of the subsequent 24 to 36 hours.
Q: Yeah, however once more, it is irritating for us as a result of they’re saying it is a massive counteroffensive and what we hear — see — hear from you guys is, like, an uptick in preventing. These two do not match, you see?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: No, I am with you, Tom.
Q: Yeah.
(CROSSTALK)
Q: — and — and one final thing — Mykolaiv, what are you seeing round there?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Nothing that might trigger me to speak about it, I suppose, Tom. I am not monitoring something in extra happening in Mykolaiv.
Q: Yeah, yeah. Okay, thanks.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Yeah.
STAFF: All proper, let’s go to Jack Detsch, FP.
Q: Thanks for doing this.
[Omitted], I had — I had a fast one. Does — does the U.S. or do you may have any sense of the power ratios in — in Kherson? Does — does Ukraine have higher numbers than that they had within the Donbas, vis-a-vis the Russians? And in addition, simply questioning in the event you’ve seen any influence on the Russian forces when it comes to attrition from — from the assaults that the Ukrainians appear to have affected on Russian provide strains?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: I feel these are nice questions. I feel, to start with, now we have seen the ratios between the Ukrainians and the Russians are in significantly better quantity, in — when it comes to equality or parity within the south, than they have been initially up alongside the — the jap portion of the battlespace.
And once more, with out realizing all of the particulars of what the Ukrainians are doing, I’ve obtained to imagine they — you understand, they’re college students in army doctrine, and they also perceive that conducting an assault takes a larger variety of forces than in the event you have been on the protection. So I feel they most likely have labored to regulate their numbers.
The gosh, I am — I am sorry. The final a part of your query, do you thoughts repeating that half?
Q: Yeah, simply if — if the — the assaults on Russian provide strains, together with into Crimea, have had any influence on — had attrition — attrited the Russian forces or impacted their — their capacity to resupply the south?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Yeah, so that you all have reported very well on — on what the Ukrainians have been doing to the provision strains. , they’ve — not not like the — the remainder of the preventing alongside the — the battlespace, they’ve been using their HIMARS to nice impact, a few of that on strains of communication. I do know you have reported on how they’ve struck quite a few bridges.
And so I feel they’ve most likely definitely had an impact on the Russians’ capacity to maneuver north or south or east or west, nonetheless you need to have a look at it, throughout the Dnieper River, however — after which we have seen, once more — and I get a few of my finest reporting from you all — we have seen a — variety of experiences speaking in regards to the morale of the Russian soldier on that facet, you understand, in — within the Kherson pocket.
In actual fact, you understand, the Washington Publish diary articles this previous week — and I do know these are somewhat dated, however in the event you take the diaries written, you understand, a number of months in the past of a Russian soldier and also you — you’re taking these at face worth in Kherson, in that space, I imply, morale then was depressing. So now think about you are a Russian soldier and, you understand, a pair months into it and you’ve got been getting hit fairly laborious by artillery and — and HIMARS employed by now the — as we talked about, the Ukrainians added capabilities related to their air marketing campaign. They’re changing into increasingly environment friendly and efficient. And so add that to already unhealthy morale and unhealthy troop numbers, as [omitted] was sort of mentioning earlier, and I’ve obtained to suppose that — that the Ukrainians have seen that as nicely and are working to make the most of it.
STAFF: Let’s go to Barb Starr, CNN.
Barbara, are you there?
Q: Sure. Thanks.
Are you able to — are you able to inform us if there’s any U.S. function in serving to maintain the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant protected because it will get compromised? That is not a hypothetical query. I need to know if there’s any U.S. function concerning that plant? And, secondly, are you able to inform us — there are experiences that U.S. officers imagine U.S. weapon shares in some instances are actually quote “uncomfortably low.” As [omitted], I can solely think about you may have some detailed perception to the state of U.S. weapon shares. What’s that proper now? Are weapon shares for the U.S. low and in what situations is that occuring?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Barbara, I will reply the final query there, after which I will go it again to [omitted] on the nuclear energy plant piece.
So to the primary, the brief reply to your query isn’t any. , each time — each time we work considered one of these directives, we — as you’d anticipate and hope, we take our readiness under consideration earlier than we decide. And so I can guarantee you that quite a few these questions are primary, do now we have the flexibility to execute operations ourselves if it have been ever to return to that? And quantity two, do now we have the requisite tools and munitions obtainable to proceed to coach ourselves at a excessive state of readiness? And in each these instances we’re capable of present what now we have supplied and nonetheless keep our readiness as army power.
And I’ll go it over to [omitted].
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Positive. Barbara, the main target for us on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant is on urging Russia to vacate the facility plant and permit the Ukrainians to function it in peace. So our focus is on urgent the Russians to stop army operations within the space. When it comes to the precise functioning of the plant, we’re very intent on guaranteeing that the IAEA can ship its workforce into the plant and make sure the security of these plant operations. We all know that these Ukrainian plant operators are doing the perfect they’ll below very attempting circumstances. And we have seen experiences of how the Russians have been pressuring them and harassing them and we applaud their efforts to keep up that security. However we actually want IAEA to be granted entry.
We imagine that the most secure final result can be a managed shutdown of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant reactors, that this is able to be the least dangerous plan of action within the close to time period. That mentioned, we even have U.S. scientists which are monitoring radiation sensor knowledge on the energy plant and now we have seen no indications of elevated or irregular radiation ranges up to now.
Q: If I can briefly observe up, you mentioned, I imagine, that, saying we, are intent on ensuring the IAEA workforce can safely get in and do its work. By saying we, do you imply that the Protection Division is enjoying a job in assuring this? And may you say what that function is?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: I used to be referring to the U.S. authorities as a complete. My State Division and Division of Power colleagues have the lead on this and they’re those who’re in shut dialogue with the IAEA and with the Ukrainians on the functioning of this energy plant.
Q: Are U.S. army belongings getting used to observe the radiation ranges?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: To not my data. This — the data that I am sharing with you is from my State Division and Division of Power colleagues.
Q: Thanks.
STAFF: Thanks.
Let’s go to Phil Stewart, Reuters.
Q: Hey there.
Shifting only for a second to Iraq, may you give us a way of any U.S. function in helping the federal government in Baghdad or helping in efforts to safe — higher safe U.S. forces within the nation and even in Syria within the wake of all this unrest that is happening? And what are your — what are your considerations? What’s being completed? , Reuters is reporting sustained machine gun fireplace in central Baghdad proper now. And there is a number of photos on the market.
And I additionally had a query in regards to the — the NS — the White Home has already mentioned that there is not any evacuation underway. There’s numerous skepticism on social media about that, citing helicopter motion and different motion. May you give us a way of whether or not there’s any sort of U.S. army help or any U.S. motion, you understand, inner to Iraq now?
Thanks.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: So, I will take the final one first. Initially, if we have been conducting evacuation, I promise I would not be capable of be on the road with you proper now. We might be utterly inundated with an evacuation. That isn’t the case.
And so, I do not know the place a bunch of that reporting is coming from, however the embassy — I’m definitely conscious of ongoing protests in and across the inexperienced zone and, as you understand, have been happening kind of for the previous a number of weeks. However, there is no such thing as a change to our standing within the embassy.
And when it comes to the primary query, and I will simply sort of join the 2 somewhat bit, you understand, we spend an excessive amount of time guaranteeing that we’re caring for Individuals abroad. And now we have ample safety on the embassy in Baghdad to make sure that. After which I’d simply inform you largely throughout Iraq and Syria that is still the case.
Definitely, the strikes that occurred final week, a response to continued aggression by Iranian militia teams — Iranian-backed militia teams from Syria. And I feel sufficient has been mentioned on that. However once more, we’re taking each effort, we’re making each effort to make sure the protection of our individuals.
STAFF: All proper, let’s go to Lara Seligman with Politico.
Q: Hello, thanks a lot for doing this, [omitted].
Is — I needed to know, is there something you may inform us that is not open supply about what is going on on in Kherson proper now? I recognize having these briefings, however since we’re on background, it will be useful to get somewhat bit extra info. And alongside these strains, my query is, are you able to verify that Ukraine has breached Russia’s first strains of protection outdoors Kherson as they’ve mentioned?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: So Lara, I do know we’re on background. That does not imply I’ll offer you any categorized info. So, you understand, and I am very severe — I’m glad to offer info that is not categorized.
And I’d inform you we’re in — you understand, we’re involved with our Ukrainian counterparts. The Ukrainians have informed us what you are seeing in open supply media, that they’ve began an offensive of some type. We simply do not know the extent of that.
I do not — I definitely do not know if they’ve penetrated the primary strains of protection of the Russians, however as I discussed earlier to Tom, I feel within the subsequent 24 to 36 hours, we’ll all have a a lot larger understanding of the extent of this offensive — or these offensive actions vice some prior to now a number of weeks.
Q: And simply to observe up, perhaps you could possibly reply this — have you ever seen Russia start repositioning any extra of its forces from the east to the south, in anticipation of this offensive?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: We have now not.
Q: Thanks.
STAFF: Nice. We have time for only a couple extra. We’ll go to Heather at USNI.
Q: Hello, thanks a lot. I used to be simply questioning in the event you can verify that we’re seeing the biggest naval buildup in Europe proper now? And if that’s the case, what message is the U.S. attempting to ship with that?
STAFF: We will should get again to you on that one, Heather. I do know — I do know you had requested that query final week and I — I do know we’re placing collectively a — a response for you on that.
Q: Thanks.
STAFF: Thanks. All proper, let’s go to Mike at Washington Occasions.
Q: Yeah, thanks. My query was already requested and answered, so I go.
STAFF: Okay, thanks — thanks. Tony from Bloomberg?
Q: Hello, that is for the Senior Protection Official. We have been inundated over the previous few weeks with lists of dedicated U.S. tools to Ukraine. Senior Protection Official, are you able to stroll us by way of what’s truly been delivered, by means of the HIMARS, Switchblades, Phoenix Ghosts, truly delivered versus dedicated?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: Okay, Tony, it is a nice query, however to get to that degree of element, I simply haven’t got all of it in entrance of me. I’d say that with — you understand, with the gadgets normally, after they’re coming by way of drawdown — presidential drawdown — in order that pertains to the HIMARS, to the GMLRS, the ammunition — many of the ammunition, I ought to say — these are arriving in a short time, so actually inside days and weeks. And, you understand, from all of our prior drawdown packages, it is very expeditious.
The gadgets that we’re contracting for do take longer as a result of we’re going out to business to acquire them. The Phoenix Ghost functionality that you simply talked about, I do know that was a subject of curiosity earlier than, and we did have — we have supplied Phoenix Ghosts final spring and we determined earlier this summer season to offer one other Phoenix Ghost contract, which we introduced below USAI.
I can verify for you that below that new contract, now we have already delivered the primary batch of capabilities. That, I simply occurred to know off the highest of my head as a result of it occurred fairly just lately. And as you could recall, for Phoenix Ghost particularly, we’re going to have the ability to proceed offering common intervals of deliveries to make sure that the Ukrainians do not run out of Phoenix Ghosts particularly.
However I haven’t got a rundown on all these capabilities however we will attempt to observe up.
Q: — might I — might I ask one observe up? Friday night time, the Pentagon dropped the primary NASAMS contract to Raytheon for $184 million. It mentioned this contract is estimated to take two years to finish, August of 2024. Might I ask — realizing you are not the acquisition authority however why two years for one thing that appears as so pressing?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: So the USAI package deal that pertains to the NASAMS that may take, you understand, as much as a few years is a package deal that’s designed to construct the enduring power of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
So we do know that, you understand, now we have to exit to business and business has to generally produce new capabilities, and that’s what that package deal pertains to. I must defer to my acquisition colleagues to get into the — the particular particulars.
However I’ll inform you that when it comes to air protection writ massive, we had an earlier contract for NASAMS, which needs to be arriving actually throughout the subsequent couple of months right here, and that was for extra rapid use by the Ukrainian Armed Forces, with functionality that we may shortly procure.
Q: Is that from Norway these are coming from, these models?
SENIOR DEFENSE OFFICIAL: This — once more, we’re procuring from business. I haven’t got extra particular element on that.
Q: Okay, thanks — thanks.
STAFF: Do another query after which I will should conclude our time. Ethan from Sputnik?
Q: Sure, thanks for taking all of our questions at present. Rapidly, on the high, have there been any current communications between the U.S. and Russia on the Syria deconfliction line, given the rise in army exercise there as of late?
And second, White Home Strategic Communications Coordinator Kirby mentioned earlier at present that the U.S. does not have a manner of accounting for the variety of shells fired across the Zaporizhzhia plant. I used to be questioning in the event you may give some readability on that, what kind of visibility the U.S. truly has, and in the event that they’ve particularly requested Ukraine privately to not shell that space? Thanks.
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Yeah, hey, Ethan. It — hear, on the Syria piece, we routinely talk with the Russians in Syria. In order that has not modified. We proceed — it is in each our greatest pursuits we proceed to try this.
After which I am sorry to ask you to repeat the final a part of your query. Would you thoughts repeating the second query?
Q: Sure, no downside. White Home Strategic Communications Coordinator Kirby mentioned earlier at present that the U.S. doesn’t have a manner of — of accounting the variety of shells — artillery shells fired across the Zaporizhzhia plant in Ukraine. I used to be questioning in the event you may give readability on precisely what degree of visibility the U.S. has on the army exercise across the plant and which facet is shelling at any given second?
SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIAL: Yeah, I — so what I do know for positive is that the — the Russians are firing from across the plant and, you understand, I additionally know that there are rounds which have impacted close to the plant. , the best way that we’re monitoring the forces across the nuclear energy plant — it is not like there is a — a continuing — it is laborious to clarify, I suppose. It isn’t like there are forces in each sq. inch of the world across the plant. And so we additionally know that the Russians have fired within the neighborhood of the plant.
And I do not need to say that the Ukrainians have not fired in that neighborhood both as a result of I feel there’s most likely a chance that they’ve, however in good — in quite a few instances, it is returning fireplace of the Russians who’re firing from these areas.
I imply, I suppose the straightforward factor to say right here too can be, you understand, the Ukrainians are very conscious of the potential impacts of placing the nuclear energy plant and so they’re going out of their manner not to try this. They usually have had conversations with us about that too, that they’re very conscious of the criticality of that nuclear energy plant.
Q: Thanks very a lot. I recognize it.
STAFF: That is on a regular basis now we have for at present. Once more, a reminder, that is on background. And we are going to — took a few questions, we’ll get again to you on these.
Everybody have a fantastic day.
