US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said that the United States "observed several mistakes" Russia committed during its invasion of Ukraine.
He said this in an interview with CNN.
Lloyd Austin noted that the Russians "did not move forward as fast as they would like" because they had problems with logistics. He also saw neither evidence of "proper use of tactical intelligence" nor "integration of the air force with ground maneuvering."
"There are several things we expected to see, but they did not happen. And the Russians did have some problems. I think (that Russia) thought that they would move quickly and take over the capital very fast. They couldn't do that," - the Chief of Pentagon said.
Austin was also asked about China's position in the war, as according to media and White House officials, Russia also asked China for military and economic assistance.
Austin told CNN that it was "difficult to say" what China would do and dismissed the speculations.
"I hope China does not support Putin's vile act; I hope they recognize it is necessary to respect sovereign territory," he said, adding that "it is clear to us that if they do, it will be a bad choice."
As of the morning of 18 March 2022, Russia lost over 14 000 military personnel.