Russia is conducting probing attacks along the frontline in a bid to find weaknesses in the Ukrainian armed forces.

A senior Pentagon official said on Tuesday that Moscow’s forces planned to force Ukraine into expending precious ammunition, missiles and drones in countering the attacks.

“They’ve not succeeded so far,” Celeste Wallander, an assistant defence secretary, said. “Ukrainians have a lot of experience over the last few years on how to cope with these kinds of Russian assaults.”

Ukraine has shifted to “active defence” tactics in recent weeks and is constructing dense fortifications behind its lines.

A new US funding package worth £48 billion ($61 billion) proposed by Joe Biden remains held up in Congress, where Republicans are refusing to agree to it without concessions on immigration.

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