At present, Putin is not determined to seize Kharkiv.
Thousands of Russian soldiers have been successfully advancing in the Kharkiv region, yet they claim they do not intend to capture the city that bears its name. This is according to President Putin. Instead, their objectives appear to be different. The Western world supposes the Kremlin is incapable of taking Kharkiv.
During Putin's trip to China's city of Harbin, Russian state media were quizzed about the future of Kharkiv. A reporter asked what Putin thought of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's trip to the region, where he declared the situation was more stable. In response, Putin said there were no intentions to seize Kharkiv. Instead, they are focused on creating a safety zone since their region of Belgorod is being targeted by drones and missiles from Kharkiv. Previous Kremlin leader Dmitry Medvedev, now deputy head of the National Security Council, believes Zelensky's visit to Kharkiv was his final goodbye. This is because the Russian government frequently considers Kharkiv as Russian territory, but Putin has stated, for the first time, that it's not currently a part of the plan.
During Zelensky's trip to Kharkiv on Thursday, he described the situation as generally stable. "Currently, the situation in the Kharkiv region is generally manageable, as our forces are inflicting significant casualties on the occupiers," he stated on his Telegram channel. Upper echelons of Ukrainian military reported situation updates from Commander-in-Chief Olexander Syrskyj and the military commanders in command of the front lines. Yet, challenges persist.
The Ukrainian military alleges Russia is deploying approximately 30,000 soldiers for their offensive in northern Ukraine. They've conquered several villages and even reached the outskirts of a small town called Vovchansk. Nonetheless, neither the Ukrainian military nor NATO representatives believe Russia has the capacity to accomplish a significant breakthrough in the region.
General Christopher Cavoli, the Supreme Commander of NATO Forces in Europe, expressed similar sentiments, stating, "The Russians lack the troop strength necessary for a strategic advance" following a summit of military chiefs from NATO member states. According to Cavoli, "They don't have the necessary expertise and abilities." Despite their regional victories, they have incurred some setbacks as well.
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Despite Russia's advancement in the Kharkiv region, Putin reiterates his intentions not to seize Kharkiv, citing a focus on establishing a safety zone due to attacks from Kharkiv on their Belgorod region. This contradicts former Kremlin leader Dmitry Medvedev's view that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's visit to Kharkiv might signify his last goodbye, given Russia's historical claims over the city.
Russia's inability to seize Kharkiv is a common belief among the Western world, Ukrainian military, and NATO representatives. General Christopher Cavoli, the Supreme Commander of NATO Forces in Europe, echoes this sentiment, stating that Russia lacks the troop strength and necessary expertise to make a strategic advance in the region.
Source: www.ntv.de
