五角大楼已经提供了每日更新俄罗斯入侵关于乌克兰以及乌克兰的努力抵抗。
以下是一名美国高级国防官员周四对记者的讲话要点:
俄罗斯人正在接近基辅
离基辅市中心最近的俄罗斯军队来自西北方向，在霍斯托梅尔机场附近。据这位官员说，自周三以来，这些部队又向前推进了三英里，距离市中心大约九英里。当这只鸟从城市外围飞过时，机场只有大约五英里。
来自东北的两条平行战线也在向首都推进，最近的部队现在距离基辅市中心约25英里。
其中一条战线上的一些俄罗斯军队，从Sumy镇上方出发，似乎已经转向东北方向。这位官员说，转变的原因还不清楚。
俄罗斯继续轰炸
该官员称，俄罗斯军队现已向乌克兰发射了超过775枚导弹。这高于周三估计的710人。
肖恩·盖洛普/盖蒂图片社
一架美国陆军MIM-104爱国者反导弹防御发射器指向Rzesz东部..
乌克兰没有爱国者
这名官员说，五角大楼没有谈论向乌克兰发送爱国者系统，因为它们需要美国地面部队来操作。
“这不是乌克兰人熟悉的系统。正如我们已经明确表示的那样，美国军队不会在乌克兰作战，”这名官员说。
乌克兰的其他防空选择
该官员称，安全援助继续流入乌克兰，甚至在过去的24小时内。
虽然美国正在运送自己的反装甲和防空武器，但它也在与其他国家合作，运送美国军火库中没有、但乌克兰军队可能会有效使用的武器。
当被问及此事时，该官员表示，这包括比美国发送的肩射“毒刺”导弹“更复杂”的防空系统。因此，尽管五角大楼拒绝了发送爱国者导弹电池的想法，但它可能有助于促进乌克兰人接受训练的类似系统的转移或补给。
乌克兰很少使用其战斗机
这位官员重申，五角大楼拒绝了波兰通过美国作为中介向乌克兰转让其米格-29战斗机舰队的提议。
“我们不支持将飞机交由我们监管，然后运入乌克兰的提议，”该官员表示。
尽管乌克兰官员提出请求，但国防部认为派遣飞机是对乌克兰的一种次等形式的支持。
“他们不是每天都驾驶固定翼飞机。我们在这里不做判断，这只是事实。他们正在非常有效地使用他们自己的地对空导弹系统和单兵携带防空系统来减缓俄罗斯的推进，尤其是在北方...反装甲弹药，”该官员说。
Russian forces move within 9 miles of Kyiv's city center: Pentagon Ukraine update
The Pentagon has been providing daily updates on theRussian invasionofUkraineand Ukraine's efforts to resist.
Here are highlights of what a senior U.S. defense official told reporters on Thursday:
Russians approaching Kyiv
The Russian forces closest to the heart of Kyiv are coming from the northwest, in the area of the Hostomel Airport. Since Wednesday, these troops fought their way three miles closer, bringing them within roughly nine miles of the city center, according to the official. The airport is only about five miles as the bird flies from the outer city limits.
Two parallel lines of advance from the northeast are also making progress on their push to the capital, the closest of these troops now about 25 miles from the center of Kyiv.
Some Russian troops from one of those lines, emanating from above the town of Sumy, seem to have turned around, heading back northeast. The official said the reason for the about-face is unclear.
Russian bombardment continues
Russian forces have now fired more than 775 missiles against Ukraine, the official said. This is up from an estimate of 710 on Wednesday.
No Patriots to Ukraine
The official said there is no talk at the Pentagon of sending Patriot systems to Ukraine, as they would require U.S. troops on the ground to operate them.
"It's not a system that the Ukrainians are familiar with. And as we have made very clear, there will be no U.S. troops fighting in Ukraine," the official said.
Other air-defense options for Ukraine
Security assistance continues to flow into Ukraine, even in the last 24 hours, according to the official.
While the U.S. is sending its own anti-armor and anti-aircraft weapons, it is also working with other countries to send items the U.S. doesn't have in its arsenal but could be used effectively by Ukrainian troops.
When asked, the official said this includes air-defense systems that are "more sophisticated" than the shoulder-fired Stinger missiles being sent by the U.S. So, while the Pentagon has rejected the idea of sending Patriot missile batteries, it could be helping facilitate the transfer or replenishment of similar systems that Ukrainians are trained on.
Ukraine making little use of its fighter jets
The official repeated the Pentagon's rejection of a Polish proposal to pass its fleet of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine by using the U.S. as an intermediary.
"We do not support a proposal whereby jets would be transferred to our custody, then to be brought into Ukraine," the official said.
The Defense Department views sending aircraft to be an inferior form of support for Ukraine, despite Ukrainian officials' requests.
"They are not flying their fixed-wing aircraft very much on a daily basis. We're not making a judgment here, it's just a fact. What they are using very effectively to slow the Russian advance, particularly in the north, are their own surface-to-air missile systems and MANPADS, as well as ... anti-armor munitions," the official said.
