Russian troops are underfunded and underequipped, say U.S. defense officials

Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is allegedly underfunded and underequipped, slowing down the momentum of Russia’s military campaign. 

According to two different U.S. defense officials who spoke to FOX News on the condition of anonymity, Russia’s military may be lacking the necessary equipment to move effectively during the night.

“Most movement starts just before dawn and occurs during the day because they don’t have night vision and are not trained in night vision, which contributed to slower than expected progress,” Fox News reported. 

The other official reportedly said that Kremlin leadership was becoming "increasingly frustrated" with the military's inability to take down Kyiv quicker. The report indicated that as much as 50% of Russian forces had entered Ukraine, but still could not take control of the city and break the will of the Ukrainian people. 

A video posted on Twitter shows a Ukrainian soldier examining an alleged Russian tank that was used during this week’s invasion. According to the soldiers, the tank “is more dilapidated than our own equipment.”

"This Russian shit is more dilapidated than our own equipment", Ukrainian soldiers make fun of captured Russian trophy. pic.twitter.com/WAiOoiwqrf

— Christo Grozev (@christogrozev) February 26, 2022

Ukrainian locals from Konotop claimed that Russian troops stopped to search for food and fuel, hinting that they did not have enough provisions. 

“They have a problem with fuel and supply. Soldiers who come in with the tanks walk with canisters and try to buy fuel. Soldiers of the occupation forces demand food from the local population. Cases of looting of trade institutions on the side of Russian occupiers have been recorded,” reads a post from the Land Forces of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

"We have indications that the Russians are increasingly frustrated by their lack of momentum over the last 24 hours, particularly in the northern parts of Ukraine," a senior defense official said. "We also continue to see indications of viable Ukrainian resistance." 

Fox News reported that part of the problem Russian troops are facing is that some of them are not fully trained and did not understand why they were sent to war against Ukraine, according to the Union of the Committee of Soldier's Mothers of Russia, a human rights NGO founded during the final years of the Soviet empire.

The group, which is dedicated to exposing violations within the Russian military has helped illuminate some of the ongoing problems within the Russian military.   

Several days before the invasion, Russian women began posting on social media that they were concerned their sons had been sent to Ukraine and that they are now worried they have not heard from them since. 

Retired Army Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg told Fox News that he thinks Putin will be on the losing end of this battle.

“I think Putin is losing. I think Russia is losing. He’s [Putin] thrown his first line units against Ukrainians, and they’re beating him. And it’s the heart that they’re showing is incredible. And that’s the reason why the world is rallying there,’” Kellogg said.

“He may throw a lot more forces at it, and he may take the city of Kyiv that that is entirely possible just by sheer numbers. But the occupation of that country, now, they will fight back. There will be an insurgency,” he added.