Ukraine war: Fighting set to slow for winter months, says US intelligence

The warring successful Ukraine has been slowing down and this volition apt proceed successful the coming wintertime months, US quality agencies believe.

However, determination has been nary grounds of fading absorption connected the portion of Ukrainian forces, US manager of quality Avril Haines said.

She said some sides would effort to "refit, resupply and reconstitute" for a counter-offensive successful the spring.

The warfare successful Ukraine is present successful its ninth month, but Russia has mislaid much than fractional the onshore it seized.

Ms Haines told a defence forum successful California that astir of the warring is presently astir the Bakhmut and Donetsk portion of eastbound Ukraine.

"We're seeing a benignant of a reduced tempo already of the conflict... and we expect that's apt to beryllium what we spot successful the coming months," she said.

She said some Ukraine and Russian militaries would beryllium looking to to hole for immoderate counter-offensive aft the winter.

"But we really person a just magnitude of scepticism arsenic to whether oregon not the Russians volition be, successful fact, prepared to bash that," she said.

"I deliberation much optimistically for the Ukrainians successful that clip frame."

Ms Haines said US quality believes Russian President Vladimir Putin does not person a afloat representation astatine this signifier of conscionable however challenged his subject are.

"We spot shortages of ammunition, for morale, proviso issues, logistics, a full bid of concerns that they're facing."

Meanwhile, Ukraine's information work said the authorities successful Kyiv is imposing sanctions against 10 elder Orthodox Church figures it accuses of having supported Russia's invasion.

The sanctions, which volition frost their assets for 5 years, are the latest moves by the Ukrainian authorities against spiritual groups seen arsenic perchance subversive.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said that Moscow had prepared for the determination but would not merchantability its lipid nether the cap.

At a virtual gathering connected Sunday, a radical of the world's apical oil-producing countries is expected to instrumentality to its lipid output targets.

The determination angered the United States and different Western nations with Washington accusing the radical of siding with Russia.

Since October, lipid prices person declined owed to slower planetary maturation and higher involvement rates. Opec sources accidental the radical is apt to o.k. a argumentation rollover.