Russia brings in its terrorist for Kyiv assault?

 ISW:

Russian forces continued concentrating in the eastern, northwestern, and western outskirts of Kyiv for an assault on the capital in the coming 24-96 hours. The reported appearance of forces belonging to Chechen leader Ramazan Kadyrov, Russia’s Rosgvardia internal security formations, and the Liga (former Wagner) Private Military Company in the western outskirts of Kyiv may indicate that the Russian military is struggling to assemble sufficient conventional combat power to launch its assault on the capital. Russian forces near Kyiv made limited gains and prepared for limited drives to continue their attempted encirclement to the west.

Ukrainian forces have continued to challenge the lengthy Russian ground lines of communication leading from near Sumy to eastern Kyiv. Russian forces near Kharkiv have been steadily diverting to secure and extend those lines over the past few days, as we have reported. The Ukrainian General Staff reported on March 8 that Russian troops currently near Chernihiv appear to be moving east. We assess that those forces may seek to link up with troops coming from near Sumy to help them consolidate and protect their extended lines in support of the planned offensive against Kyiv.

The situation in eastern Ukraine and southwestern Ukraine remained largely unchanged in the past 24 hours. Ukrainian General Staff reporting of additional Russian efforts to advance on the city of Zaporizhya likely confirm that Russia intends to make blocking that city a priority. The forces Russia is so far moving toward Zaporizhya appear to be far too small to encircle or take it.
...

There is much more. 

The main Russian army continues to struggle in Ukraine, thus the need for the Chechen and Liga forces.

Russia appears to have few if any external allies in its efforts in Ukraine.  Russia is faced with widespread cultural rejection from around the world.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked a uniquely widespread global rejection of all things Russian — going far beyond the aggression shown to other groups whose radicals or leaders have taken innocent lives.

International competitions have blocked Russian athletes, stores have tossed Russian-branded vodka, museums are pulling their Russian art, and restaurants are being vandalized.

Elsewhere, the US military has rejected a Polish move to transfer jet fighters to Ukraine. 

The NY Times reports:

E.U. Expands Sanctions as Russia Moves to Protect Crashing Ruble

  • Russia’s isolation deepened with the expansion of E.U. sanctions and import bans that threatened two key commodities, oil and gas.

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