Russian Operations in Ukraine: Week 4

In this update on Russian operations in Ukraine at week 4: the US Department of Defense itself admits Russia’s combat power allotted to Ukraine is still around 90%.

Russia uses its hypersonic missiles for the first time. We compare Russia’s operations in Ukraine to the US invasion of Iraq in 2003 by the numbers.

US propaganda continues to prepare the ground for a conflict with China, which will almost certainly follow on the heels of the current conflict in Ukraine.

References: 

***Update on Russian Operations in Ukraine: Week 4***

US Department of Defense – Senior Defense Official Holds a Background Briefing, March 21, 2022:
https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/2973395/senior-defense-official-holds-a-background-briefing/

Reuters – LIVE: Pentagon briefing with John Kirby (March 23, 2022):
https://youtu.be/_OF1YRmGfEk

Comparing Ukraine/Iraq by land area:
https://www.mylifeelsewhere.com/country-size-comparison/ukraine/iraq

Guardian – Ukraine suspends 11 political parties with links to Russia:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/20/ukraine-suspends-11-political-parties-with-links-to-russia

***US Prepares Conflict with China***

Guardian – China has fully militarized three islands in South China Sea, US admiral says:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/21/china-has-fully-militarized-three-islands-in-south-china-sea-us-admiral-says

CSIS’ China Power – How Much Trade Transits the South China Sea?:
https://chinapower.csis.org/much-trade-transits-south-china-sea/

CSIS – Our Donors:
https://www.csis.org/programs/support/our-donors

RAND Corporation – War With China (2016):
https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RR1100/RR1140/RAND_RR1140.pdf

RFA – U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Proposes New Missile Capabilities to Deter China:
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/usa-missiles-03052021180700.html

Defense News – Here’s the US Marine Corps’ plan for sinking Chinese ships with drone missile launchers:
https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2020/02/12/heres-the-us-marine-corps-plan-for-sinking-chinese-ships-with-drone-missile-launchers/

VOA – US Nearly Doubled Military Personnel Stationed in Taiwan This Year:
https://www.voanews.com/a/pentagon-us-nearly-doubled-military-personnel-stationed-in-taiwan-this-year-/6337695.html

Global Times – US admiral hypes ‘China militarization’ in S.China Sea:
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202203/1256440.shtml