Russia’s latest offensive into Kharkiv Oblast is stretching Ukrainian defenses
Russia’s latest offensive into Kharkiv Oblast is stretching Ukrainian defenses
Russia’s two-pronged assault in Kharkiv Oblast that began on May 10 is exploiting Ukraine’s troop shortage, forcing it to make difficult decisions about where to commit reserves. Two weeks into the offensive, one group of Russian forces is already fighting in the streets of the town of Vovchansk
Two weeks into the offensive, one group of Russian forces is already fighting in the streets of the town of Vovchansk about 70 kilometers away from the city of Kharkiv, while the other is trying to push toward the town of Lyptsi, just under two dozen kilometers away from the city.
The Kremlin has options for what it can try to accomplish in the area: depopulating Kharkiv, taking territory, and most importantly, getting Ukraine to commit reserves needed elsewhere.
So far, Russian troops seem at least partially successful with the latter two. Multiple border villages have reportedly been captured and some Ukrainian units have been moved in from outside Kharkiv to reinforce the defense of the region.
But Emil Kastehelmi of the Finnish Black Bird Group said that in Lyptsi, Ukrainians “used depth to their advantage. They pulled out from the most difficult border villages, and are now defending in places where they can better use the terrain.”
“Ukraine has been able to significantly reduce the speed of the attack, and Russia hasn't been able to gain more than a few fields after their initial success,” he said.
I guess Russia will have to learn the hard way why Ukraine defeated Napoleon and Hitler. You expend valuable troops and supplies and all you have to show for it is some fields in Ukraine. And sanctions too.
They went from a three day operation taking the whole country, to "well maybe we'll camp out in a field a few miles from the border". You can't defeat Ukraine, because they won't give up. It's literally throwing money and lives away.
Napoleon got defeated by stretching his army thin all the way up to Moscow, where he found the city razed (by orders of the own Tzar) and without food, ending his campaign. Not Ukraine.
Equally. The Germans couldn't get to Moscow because the mud slowed them down. When they finally got there, or almost there, the guns and tanks froze solid and the only remaining good Russian troops got pulled back from Siberia (Japan invasion was believed to not be happening and troops got redeployed).
Then they hit the German army at the perfect moment.
The Germans very almost fucked up Moscow and they annihilated everything on their way. Would have been real interesting if they got to Moscow.