U.S. Officials Detect ‘Morale Problems’ During High-Level Meeting After Russian General Calls War in Ukraine ‘Tragic’

[Clip starts STARR voice ░░░░░░░░ With Russia s war ░░░░░░░░ Ukraine stalled and the ░░░░░░░░ S saying morale is ░░░░░░░░ problem for Russian forces ░░░░░░░░ has learned of a ░░░░░░░░ meeting in Moscow between ░░░░░░░░ S and Russian military ░░░░░░░░ which according to a ░░░░░░░░ S readout of the ░░░░░░░░ contained a quote revealing ░░░░░░░░ from Russian Major General ░░░░░░░░ Ilyin a general with ░░░░░░░░ experience dealing with Americans ░░░░░░░░ the meeting ended the ░░░░░░░░ says an attache on ░░░░░░░░ U S side casually ░░░░░░░░ about Ilyin s family ░░░░░░░░ Ukraine According to the ░░░░░░░░ the official said the ░░░░░░░░ s stoic demeanor suddenly ░░░░░░░░ flushed and agitated Ilyin ░░░░░░░░ he was born in ░░░░░░░░ and went to school ░░░░░░░░ Donetsk And then said ░░░░░░░░ to the readout the ░░░░░░░░ in Ukraine is tragic ░░░░░░░░ I am very depressed ░░░░░░░░ it before walking out ░░░░░░░░ shaking hands The attache ░░░░░░░░ in the readout the ░░░░░░░░ in his eyes and ░░░░░░░░ demeanor left a chill ░░░░░░░░ the spine Meetings with ░░░░░░░░ officials are typically scripted ░░░░░░░░ the two attaches said ░░░░░░░░ had never witnessed such ░░░░░░░░ outburst by Russian counterparts ░░░░░░░░ an official meeting The ░░░░░░░░ by the officials concludes ░░░░░░░░ the very least it ░░░░░░░░ clear that morale problems ░░░░░░░░ Russian forces are not ░░░░░░░░ to front line troops ░░░░░░░░ readout describes only the ░░░░░░░░ of the U S ░░░░░░░░ and does not definitively ░░░░░░░░ Ilyin s behavior Such ░░░░░░░░ are typically too sensitive ░░░░░░░░ be made public LEIGHTON ░░░░░░░░ at this time are ░░░░░░░░ because they give us ░░░░░░░░ insight a potential insight ░░░░░░░░ what the Russians are ░░░░░░░░ thinking It also shows ░░░░░░░░ there is some kind ░░░░░░░░ a morale problem within ░░░░░░░░ Russian hierarchy and it ░░░░░░░░ possibly all the way ░░░░░░░░ the top STARR The ░░░░░░░░ ministry for defense did ░░░░░░░░ respond to a CNN ░░░░░░░░ for comment on the ░░░░░░░░ or the readout But ░░░░░░░░ Kremlin has denied reports ░░░░░░░░ low morale among its ░░░░░░░░ in Ukraine PESKOV It ░░░░░░░░ probably have to doubt ░░░░░░░░ information You have to ░░░░░░░░ it and you have ░░░░░░░░ think twice whether it ░░░░░░░░ true or not STARR ░░░░░░░░ Russia faces stiff resistance ░░░░░░░░ Ukrainian forces if the ░░░░░░░░ are correct and morale ░░░░░░░░ an issue it is ░░░░░░░░ challenge the Russians can ░░░░░░░░ afford KIRBY We ve ░░░░░░░░ increasing indications that morale ░░░░░░░░ unit cohesion is a ░░░░░░░░ And yes it absolutely ░░░░░░░░ into potential military effectiveness ░░░░░░░░ Clip ends STARR on ░░░░░░░░ So one Russian general ░░░░░░░░ and agitated according to ░░░░░░░░ Americans just another mystery ░░░░░░░░ what really may be ░░░░░░░░ on behind Kremlin walls.”