U.S. believes Russia planning to 'decapitate' Ukraine's government and install 'their own method of governance.'
WASHINGTON -The United States believes Russia's invasion of Ukraine is designed to decapitate Ukraine's government and one of the three main axes of assault is directed at the capital Kyiv, a senior U.S. defense official said on Thursday.
"The indications we've seen thus far, in just these first, not even 12 hours, are in keeping with our assessment earlier, that would be his goal: to decapitate this government," the official told reporters, speaking on condition of anonymity.The official said this appeared to be only the first phase of a large-scale Russian invasion that so far has used a limited number of the more than 150,000 Russian troops arrayed around Ukraine.
There has been no indication of any amphibious assaults yet by Russian forces, despite early media reports, but they used about 75 military aircraft in the first phase of the invasion, the official added. "These three axes are ... clearly designed to take key population centers," the official said. The senior defense official said the United States had not yet seen an increased threat with regards to Russia's nuclear forces.
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