Press
Despite high losses in the Ukraine war: Russia is sticking to its Kharkiv offensive. But NATO does not believe in a breakthrough on the front.
Kharkiv – With tanks, drones and tens of thousands of soldiers: Russia’s army has been shelling the Kharkiv region for weeks in its war of aggression against Ukraine. The attackers also specifically exploit some weaknesses in the defenses. However, Western military observers are currently not expecting Putin’s troops to march through the second largest Ukrainian city. NATO confirmed this.
Kharkiv offensive in the Ukraine war: NATO doubts whether Russia’s army will break through at the front
“The Russians do not have the necessary troop strength for a strategic breakthrough,” said the commander in chief of NATO troops in Europe, Christopher Cavoli, according to the news agency dpa. Russia is with the Kharkiv offensive able to make local inroads – and “that’s what they did,” he added. But enormous losses were also suffered on the front in the Ukrainian war. But nothing more can be expected. According to the military expert, Russia’s army lacked “the skills and ability” to do this.
Despite losses in the Ukraine war: Russian troops made some gains in territory near Kharkiv
In the war of aggression against Ukraine that has been going on for more than two years, Russia has recently increasingly targeted the region around Kharkiv. Back in March, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s troops massed more than 30,000 soldiers in the east of the country and launched an offensive. Several villages were captured and the defenders had to evacuate other communities. Although suffered Russia continues to suffer heavy losses. However, terrain gains have increased in recent days as the attackers encounter poorly fortified defenses – a circumstance that Putin’s forces appear to have deliberately sought to exploit.
Ukraine War: Map shows current front line
In fact, Ukraine’s defense lines on this section of the front against a possible Kharkiv offensive were rather thin. This is reported by the British Guardian. In Vovchansk, less than 65 kilometers northwest of Kharkiv, “there was simply no first line of defense and no mines,” the paper quoted Ukrainian commander Denys Yaroslavsky as saying. In addition, the Ukrainian units in this area were not ready for combat.
Air alert in Kharkiv: Zelensky describes the situation at the front as “difficult”
The situation in the Kharkiv region is “extremely difficult,” admitted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after a meeting of his war cabinet. He had previously traveled near the new front on Thursday (May 16) and consulted with his military officers there. A little later, the air alert began for the eastern regions of Ukraine. The Russian army bombarded the city of Kharkiv with drones for more than 16 hours. It was one of the longest air raid alerts since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression. Nevertheless, the situation is “under control,” Zelensky promised.
The defenders are now hoping for a supply of weapons. After more than two years of fighting, ammunition supplies have been exhausted in recent months. But recently the US Congress approved new arms deliveries to Ukraine. Large quantities of ammunition, short-range air defense systems and new armored vehicles are now to be brought to the front. (jkf)