Ukraine launched a ‘successful’ counterattack in Kharkiv, which could push Russia’s borders: US think tank

Ukrainian Troops are successfully launching a counterattack in Kharkiv and could soon push Russian forces to Russia’s borders, according to a US think tank.

The Institute for the Studies of War (ISW), a Washington, D.C.-based group, said Saturday that Russian forces are withdrawing from the northeastern Kharkiv region and have notably destroyed several bridges in an effort to “successful Ukrainian offensive.”

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“Armys generally only destroy bridges if they largely decide they will not attempt to cross the river in the other direction anytime soon; so it is unlikely that Russian forces will launch operations to retake the northeastern suburbs of Kharkiv liberated by Ukrainian forces in the near future,” the report said. .

A Ukrainian tank drives past a destroyed Russian vehicle in the Kharkiv region on April 14.
(Reuters/Alcys Konstantinidis)

Ukraine’s military success in Kharkiv could lead to a strategic shift in RussiaThe report said that the forces are preventing the reinforcements now required in Kharkiv from providing support in other areas.

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She added that these potential reinforcements, however, may not be enough for Russia to reoccupy the area.

“Given the current rate of Ukrainian advance, Russian forces may be unable to prevent Ukrainian forces from reaching the Russian border, even with additional reinforcements,” Report She said.

A volunteer of the Ukrainian Regional Defense Forces inspects a destroyed military vehicle on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, on Monday, March 7, 2022.
(AP Photo/Andrew Marienko)

“The Ukrainian counter-offensive shows promising Ukrainian capabilities and may set conditions for further offensive operations in the northeastern Kharkiv Oblast,” the report added.

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In the southeastern region of Ukraine, Russia army It took Mariupol and could soon annex Kherson or declare the region’s independence from Ukraine, as it did in Donetsk and Luhansk, according to an ISW ​​report.

And the report continued: “By all indications, the Russian forces will announce the establishment of the Kherson People’s Republic or perhaps the annexation of Kherson Territory by force in the near future and will intensify the occupation measures in Mariupol.” Russian forces are reportedly increasing their security presence in both Kherson and Mariupol.

Ukrainian soldiers and firefighters search a destroyed building after a bomb attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 14, 2022 (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
(AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

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The report concluded that pro-Russian politicians in Kherson are also campaigning for the region to “seek to become an object of Russia” which “will resemble something close to Crimea in terms of pace of development”.