Russia pummels exhausted Ukrainian forces with smaller attacks ahead of a springtime advance

By The Associated Press

Russian troops are ramping up pressure on exhausted Ukrainian forces across the front line to prepare to grab more land this spring and summer. With a vital U.S. aid package for Kyiv slowed down in Congress, Russia has relied on its edge in firepower and personnel to step up attacks across eastern Ukraine. Military experts predict the Russian offensive will intensify in the coming weeks as muddy fields dry up to allow armor and other heavy equipment to move off roads. Military experts say Russia doesn’t need a massive ground offensive to succeed, and can just stick to smaller attacks across the front line to further drain the Ukraine military.