Russia aims to ramp up strikes on arms storage in Ukraine

GOVERNMENT CIVILIANS THE AREA IS DANGEROUS. RECENT EFFORTS TO REACH A CEASE-FIRE DEAL WITH HAMAS HAVE FAILED. >>> AND STATES THAT TO DELIVER $61 BILLION AID PACKAGE TO THE UKRAINIAN MILITARY AND RUSSIA IS PAYING ATTENTION. THE DEFENSE MINISTER SAID ON TUESDAY MOSCOW WOULD RAMP UP ITS OWN WEAPON PRODUCTION IN RESPONSE TO WHAT HE DESCRIBES AS THREATS POSED BY THE UNITED STATES AND ITS ALLIES. ADDING WE WILL INCREASE THE INTENSITY OF ATTACKS ON LOGISTIC CENTERS AND STORAGE BASES FOR WESTERN WEAPONS. >>> THERE IS NO BREAK IN THE FIGHTING TOOK OFFICIALS IN THE UKRAINIAN PORT CITY OF ODESSA SAY RUSSIAN MISSILE STRIKES EARLY TUESDAY INJURED AT LEAST NINE PEOPLE AND DAMAGED 58 APARTMENT UNITS PIRIFORMIS U.S. AMBASSADOR JOINS ME NOW. GOOD TO HAVE YOU BACK AGAIN. WHAT IS RUSSIA'S PRESENCE ON THE BATTLEFIELD LOOK LIKE AT THIS STAGE OF THE WAR IN THE CONTEXT OF THIS LONG-DELAYED FUNDING FROM THE U.S. CONGRESS? >> IT IS A GREAT QUESTION. YOU WOULD THINK NOW WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TIME FOR THE RUSSIANS TO PUSH THEIR ADVANTAGE. LAST MONTH UP UNTIL THE HOUSEBOAT AND SENATE VOTES THE UKRAINIANS WERE VERY WORRIED ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT THEY WOULD HAVE ENOUGH AMMUNITION. ONE WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THE RUSSIANS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, BUT THEY DID NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO. MY SENSE IS THEY COULDN'T. THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY. THEIR TROOPS WERE SO TIRED THAT THEIR EQUIPMENT WAS SO BEAT UP AND TAKEN OUT THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PUSH THIS AGGRESSION THAT THEY HAD BEEN DOING. >> HE HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT A RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE EXPECTED. DOES THIS PUT THAT IN DOUBT OR WHAT IS YOUR FEELING ABOUT WHETHER THERE IS TO COME A RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? >> I THINK IT MIGHT PUT IT IN DOUBT. THE RUSSIANS KNOW AND WE DON'T, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE WORRIED, AND IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR REPORTS HAVE SAID THEY ARE WORRIED THAT THE AMERICANS ARE FINALLY SENDING A LOT OF EQUIPMENT. A WHOLE LOT OF EQUIPMENT. AS SOON AS THE PRESIDENT SIGNS THE DEAL. THE LONG-RANGE FIRES ARE COMING. THE RUSSIANS HAVE TO SEE THEIR ADVANTAGE AS FLEETING AND DISAPPEARING. I WOULD IMAGINE THEY ARE RECONSIDERING THE COUNTEROFFENSIVE THEY HAD PLAN AT THE UKRAINIANS EXPECTED. >> WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF THE RELIEF IN UKRAINE NOW THAT THIS LOOKS LIKE THE PACKAGE GOING TO PASS? HOW ARE THEY REACTING? >> THEY ARE ECSTATIC. OF COURSE THEY WISH IT HAD COME EARLIER. THEY HAVE PAID A PRICE FOR THAT DELAY IN TERMS OF SOLDIERS DYING AND TERRITORY LOST, BUT THEY ARE VERY PLEASED THAT IT CAME. THEY ARE NOT PUMPED UP FOR THIS NEW EQUIPMENT THAT IS COMING IN. THE NEW ARTILLERY ROUND THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO RELAX A LITTLE BIT ON THE RESTRAINTS THAT THEY HAD PUT ON THEIR USE OF ARTILLERY. I WOULD IMAGINE WE WOULD SEE A CHANGE RIGHT AWAY. HE PROBABLY HEARD THE PARLIAMENT BROKE OUT AMERICAN FLAGS TO WAIVE WHEN THEY HEARD THIS NEWS. >> WHAT IS YOUR SENSE OF THEIR CAPACITY TO HANDLE THE INCOMING? SOMETIMES YOU WAIT AND YOU GET IT AND THEN IT IS KIND OF THE AMOUNT THAT OVERWHELMS YOU. IS THE UKRAINIAN ARMY AND GOVERNMENT FIT ENOUGH TO HANDLE THIS NEW INFLUX AND PUT IT INTO GOOD USE? >> THEY ARE THERE IS NO DOUBT. THEY HAVE BEEN HOLDING BACK BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT SURE WHEN THE NEW STUFF IS COMING. THIS WILL GET IN STARTING IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WE ARE TOLD. THEY HAVE BEEN READY AND EAGER FOR THIS. THEY HAVE BEEN HUNGRY FOR THIS. THEY WILL HAVE NO TROUBLE PUTTING THIS TO GOOD USE. >> NOT JUST THE AMOUNT BY THE KIND. WHICH IS TO SAY ALSO WHAT IS COMING OUR F-16 FIGHTER JETS. WHEN ARE THEY SHOWING UP AND HOW MIGHT THAT CHANGE THE STATE OF THE CONFLICT? >> AS YOU KNOW, THE PILOTS ARE BEING TRAINED. THAT JUST EXERT BEING PUT IN PLACE. THAT IS ALL GETTING INTO PLACE. I WOULD EXPECT IT TO BE IN THE AIR FIGHTING THE RUSSIANS PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE RUSSIAN MILITARY ON THE GROUND AND IN THE AIR IN A MONTH OR TWO. SOMETIME LATER THIS SPRING OR EARLY SUMMER. THE OTHER THING IS THE LONG- RANGE WEAPONS THAT ALLOW THE UKRAINIANS TO GO AFTER

Channel: CBS News

Views: 50,659

Keywords: Politics, Biden Administration, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Joe Biden, The Pentagon, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, F-16, Prime Time with John Dickerson Clips, U.S., World, CBS News

Id: ByFJ66z_fu0

Length: 4min 51sec (291 seconds)

Published: Wed Apr 24 2024