It’s Sunday evening in Kyiv. Here’s what you need to know

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said on Sunday that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s campaign in Ukraine is “stalled,” which is why he has resorted to “disgusting” attacks against civilians there.

“We’ve seen deliberate targeting of cities and towns and civilians throughout the last several weeks,” Austin told CBS’s “Face the Nation.” 

Austin added later that “the maneuver forces on the ground are essentially stalled and it’s been, it’s had the effect of him moving his forces into a wood chipper.” 

Even so, Austin said there does not yet appear to be evidence that mercenaries or foreign fighters have shown up in Ukraine to help Russia. “We have not seen mercenaries show up on the battlefield, to my knowledge,” he said.

Asked about Russia’s claim that it has launched hypersonic missiles against Ukraine, Austin said he does not believe Russia’s use of such missiles would be a “game changer,” though he cautioned that he “cannot confirm or dispute” that they have been deployed.

“I would not see it as a game changer,” he said. “I think, again, the reason that he’s resorting to using these types of weapons is because he’s trying to reestablish some momentum … you kind of question why he would do this. Is he running low on precision guided munitions?”

US officials confirmed to CNN on Saturday that Russia had used hypersonic missiles in its war against Ukraine.

Austin also said that if Putin used chemical or biological weapons against Ukraine, “he would see a significant reaction from not only the United States but also the global community.”

“And again, I don’t want to speculate about what exactly would change our calculation. I think, I think, you know, engaging in hypotheticals is probably not helpful here, either. But I think this is a very serious step. And as you heard our president say, we won’t take that lightly.”