And, we do begin this hour in
Ukraine.
With the mayor of Kyiv, now
reporting explosion in the
capital.
, Said several people have been
injured in two separate
districts.
And a two story building has
been hit by falling wreckage
from a drone.
Now, this comes as Ukraine
accuses Russian forces of
trying to exhaust the country's
air defense system, Ukraine's
military says Russia has been
using a variety of missiles and
air launch weapons against
several regions, both in the
north and the south.
And, in suffragette region, one
Ukrainian official claims
Russian shoulders are dressing
as civilians in an attempt to.
Flee Russian and stalled
authorities say they're moving
hundreds of residents from the
front lines in anticipation of
Ukrainian counteroffensive.
In the meantime, on the
frontlines in the east, top
commander say Russian forces
are increasing their attack on
bakhmut.
As the Ukrainian military
remains determined to keep
Russia from capturing the city
by Tuesday, Moscow holds its
World War II victory day
parade.
Now, Ukraine says that Russia
is doing everything possible to
take bakhmut, including sending
in more forces.
And, that includes Wagner
fighters, just days ago the
head of the Russian mercenary
group had threatened to pull
his men out of the fight
because of a lack of
ammunition.
He now claims his fighters are
advancing in bakhmut, as they
wait for more supplies.
CNN's Sam kiley has our update
now from Kyiv.
Fighting continues to be bloody
and merciless in the east of
the country, in particular
around the city of bakhmut
where the Ukrainians have
suggested that it's possible
that the Wagner group, or
elements supporting the Wagner
group have been using
incendiary devices and up
battle.
This coming as the leader of
the mercenary organization has
backtracked on his threat to
leave the city and handover to
check and fight.
This is very much part of an
ongoing soap opera effectively
led by Mr. Prigozhin who has
been tweeting and making public
statements since effectively
the beginning of this.
We're highly critical of the
Kremlin.
And particularly the Russian
military of defense.
He now says that he is getting
the ammunition that he needs so
he won't be pulling his troops
of for the foreseeable future.
But, all eyes really are on
where and when or even if the
Ukrainians are going to be
launching a summer offensive.
There have been massive troop
movements, a lot of talk from
the Ukrainians about an
offensive but no real sounds
yet on the ground that anything
is, especially, imminent.
Sam kiley, CNN, in Kyiv.
Joining me now from Washington,
retired U.S. Air force colonel
and CNN military analyst
frederik Layton.
Good to have you weigh in on
these issues, we've had quite a
few days, though the Wagner
group leader, he made those
dramatic threats to pull out of
bakhmut, turned out it was
quite a performance, right?
It looks like his troops are
staying put.
Now, does this incident give
you any insight into what is
going on with either the Wagner
group or the Russian military?
>> Well, Paula I think that it
is kind of the battle of the
tantrums, if you will, and in
this particular case prigozhin
'S tantrum has seemed to one
day for him.
Another word, to get dig have
weapons and ammunition's, gets
a resupply line for his troops
in bakhmut that didn't appear
to have that good of a resupply
line.
And he gets to stay in that
horrible meat grinder.
So in some ways it might be
considered a victory for
prigozhin.
But in other ways it is a --
story because staying in that
meat grinder, it doesn't do
anybody any favors.
>> Yes, and when I say that
it's a performance, you know,
I'm not trying to be trite, it
seems that it was a message to
someone and yet if you think
all he wanted from that was
ammunition, while that would be
pretty naive to think that.
It was clearly some type of
propaganda per.
>> Absolutely, well there's
propaganda and there's a power
struggle going on Paula.
And, what that basically means,
to me, is that prigozhin, let
it be known that he has a
military element that could be
withdrawn and could potentially
put at risk Russia's frontline.
And if that frontline had
collapsed, that would've been a
calamity towards the Russian
forces.
So what prigozhin is doing is
that he is flexing his muscles
in a way that he is in a
position to where he can, in
essence complain and make sure
that he gets what he wants in
this particular case.
But he is basically asking for
us much power as he can get.
>> Right.
And that turned our attention
now to Ukraine's
counteroffensive, it could
start as early as this week.
Do you think expectations are
too high at this point?
Especially if what Ukraine is
looking for is a decisive blow
to the Russian military in this
war?
>> Yes, if you're going to
mount a decisive blow on an
operation like this, or at a
conflict like this, there's got
to be an element of surprise
here.
And right now, it seems to me
at least, that we have
telegraphed way too much --
that this offensive is going to
happen.
And the only thing that is on
the specific details is the
time in place.
But we believe that it's going
to happen this week.
We believe that it's going to
happen, probably, in the south.
And then we believe that it's
going to affect the approaches
to crimea.
So that is a major area that
shouldn't be a big surprise to
the Russians.
But if the Ukrainians have
ability warfare and combined
force operations, putting all
the elements with the military
force together in a coordinated
fashion, then they could still
achieve some successes.
But it won't be as dramatic as
there would've been if they had
the ultimate surprise.
>> Yes, such a good point.
We've been talking about this
for months of things now.
And I have to ask you,
strategically, the U.S., the
allies that they've given
Ukraine enough capability at
this point?
And has it arrived in time?
>> Well it, is mixed, the
verdict on that is definitely
mixed.
I think that some of the
capabilities such as the
patriot missile system which
reportedly has shot down for a
hypersonic missiles that is a
major plus for the Ukrainians.
However their polling to be two
victory batteries in Ukraine
and they will need far more
than that in order to mountain
effective air defense and
missile defense for the
country.
And, the other thing that of
course is missing, is required
quantity of tanks.
And, of course, aircraft.
The Ukrainians want the f-16.
They're not getting the f-16
until after all of this is done,
if at all.
And, that of course will
provide them with a significant
lack of capability, at this
particular point and that could
have a significant impact on
their ability to perform.
>> Yes, it will be interesting
to see what the blowback is
from Ukraine, if and when that
happens.
Again, some pivotal months
ahead, for sure.