The Western corporate media, along with Washington, DC, analysts funded by the US military and defense contractors, want to tell you how badly the Russians are doing. In fact, they tell you that they couldn’t even hold onto territory around Kharkov and that, as President Zelensky put it, Russia is suffering a strategic defeat. They point to their war maps to show you how much territory in Kharkov Ukraine took from Russia. But, if we look beyond this sensationalist description, we can see how hollow and shallow this advancement or “victory” is.
According to reports, Russia left that territory at least one or two days before Ukrainian national forces even arrived at such territory. Thus it cannot be said that the Ukrainian forces “defeated” anyone and that it was their victory at all. If it wasn’t the will of Ukrainian forces that resulted in this shift in battle lines, then what was it?
If it wasn’t the Ukranians, then let’s see how this withdrawal would fit into Russian war strategy. Russia is currently concentrating their forces around the Severskydonetsk river, in order that their positions and supply routes in the Izyum direction are secured, as that is the spear that Russia is attempting to use to cut off the entirety of the Donbass from Ukrainian access. So whatever forces to the north of Izyum are primarily focused on that mission rather than holding onto territory that doesn’t serve this core and currently vital task. It would be folly to be distracted by events in Kharkov at the moment. Russia is concentrating where it matters.
As can be seen on war maps, Russia holds onto territory that goes along the Siverskydonetsk river. Holding the territory against the river allows them to protect the roads to Izyum. When the river gets to Izyum, Russia crosses the river and uses that point to punch and pierce the rear guards of the Ukrainian effort in the Donbass.
As seen above, the battle lines around Kharkov are defined by the river Siverskydonetsk (the body of water in the right side of the map).
The map above shows how the exit point across the river from Izyum allows Russian forces to extend their control of the battle space to the rear of the Ukrainian army in the Donbass.
According to Euronews, furthermore, there is only one brigade tasked by Kyiv to push at Russia in Kharkov. If we remember reports of massive attrition of professional Ukrainian soldiers and equipment, this is no doubt a very tattered unit, replete with badly trained conscripts and second rate equipment unable to deal decisively with Russian troops. There is just no reason for Russia to engage in serious combat around Kharkov until they have the forces to concentrate there.
Western corporate media and their backers in Washington, DC, and New York, simply mislead you about the nature of the war. They don’t tell you Russian strategy when it comes to Izyum and they don’t tell you the sorry state of masses of Ukrainian units. Russia is concentrating forces elsewhere and is not threatened by Ukrainian forces in Kharkov at all. After Ukraine is defeated in the Donbass, Russia will put their effort elsewhere, and will have taken the strongest Ukrainian frontline troops off of the battlefield.
Support me and my work: