Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Russia makes ‘plodding’ advances in east; U.S. sends more than 12 flights of arms, equipment

Russian military advances in Donbas are “slow and uneven,” the Pentagon said Friday, even as the Kremlin concentrates on eastern Ukraine. The “plodding progress” partially reflects Russia’s decision to avoid stretching its supply lines in the face of fierce Ukrainian resistance, according to Washington, and might be a sign Moscow is learning from past mistakes. The Pentagon also believes Russia may have experienced challenges targeting its strikes; in besieged Mariupol, the Kremlin is relying heavily on “dumb” ordinance.