Russia was taken by surprise by the advance of Ukrainian forces in a new offensive to try to recapture territory occupied by Moscow in the invasion that began six months ago.
As Kiev’s first major counteroffensive unfolds in the south of the country, in the Kherson region, Ukraine has taken advantage of the weak fortification of Russian positions near the city of Kharkiv, the second largest in the country, to launch a second attack.
Reports began to emerge two days ago, and President Volodymyr Zelensky made the usual exaggerated celebration in his late-night address on Wednesday, speaking of “good news from Kharkiv.” This time, however, he seems to have reason to celebrate.
According to Russian analysts interviewed by the Sheet, the Ukrainians advanced about 30 km towards Izium, a strategic small town occupied by the Russians since the beginning of the war. Channels of well-known Russian military bloggers on Telegram, such as Fighterbomber and journalist Alexander Kots, published alarmed reports of the action.
According to Ukrainian media, Russian defenses were breached in Balaklia as a column of 15 tanks advanced. The Russian Air Force would be having difficulty acting in the area because Kiev has concentrated the few anti-aircraft resources it has in the region, creating a mini exclusion zone in practice. According to Fighterbomber, planes are even using free-fall bombs in an attempt to stop the action.
At the same time, a massive explosion at a power substation left Belgorodo, a Russian city that borders the Kharkiv region, in darkness this morning. The prefecture said it was an accident, but there is always the suspicion of drone action or saboteurs, as has already happened in occupied Crimea.
All this creates difficulties for the Russians, who spent about a month strengthening themselves in the south, while maintaining their offensive to complete the capture of the Donetsk region still under Ukrainian control – Lugansk, the other province that makes up the so-called Donbass (east of the country). ), has already fallen to Moscow.
Diversion to the north does not, in principle, threaten the objective of controlling the Donbass, but it will have to mobilize resources that seem scarce for the Kremlin. President Vladimir Putin refuses to make a declaration of war to mobilize soldiers to avoid political attrition, and has announced an increase in the strength of his Armed Forces by 137,000 men from 2023.
The Ukrainian action, however, should be viewed with caution, as there is no indication that Kiev has the resources to retake the entire occupied Kharkiv region. The eponymous capital has been attacked since the beginning of the war, but it never fell, and the Russians retreated from the siege they had been laying on it in April and May, establishing the lines now under attack.
It was the first phase change of the conflict, when the failure to take Kiev, Kharkiv and other cities to the north led Putin to concentrate fire on the Donbass, in addition to maintaining the conquered positions in the south, which created a land bridge between the Russian-speaking east and the Crimea.
The third big stage came last month, with the start of the Ukrainian counter-offensive in Kherson. Kiev has prioritized smaller villages and Russian supply lines in this action, avoiding direct attacks on the city — to take them, it would eventually have to destroy them.
“Each success of our military in one direction or another changes the overall situation of the battlefront in Ukraine’s favor,” said Zelensky, who did not give details of the offensive.
On Thursday (8), he received US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Kiev. Washington has just released another package of weapons to the Ukrainians, including long-range artillery systems that have marked their actions against Russian lines, worth US$675 million (R$3.5 billion today).
The US has also announced aid of up to US$2 billion (R$10.4 billion) not only for Ukraine, but also for countries that feel threatened by Russia, such as NATO members in the Baltic and non-member nations. Western military alliance such as Moldova and Georgia.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
