As Ukraine Holds, Russia's Forces "Still Insufficient" For Major Kharkiv Offensive

Ukraine's troops and revitalized ammunition stores have disrupted Russia's plans for a major attack on Kharkiv.

As a result, Russia is being forced to transfer troops from other areas to reinforce the remnants of the inadequate units it sent into Kharkiv oblast two weeks ago. JL 

The Guardian reports:

Ukraine has stabilised the front in the north-eastern Kharkiv region where Russian forces launched a cross-border assault on 10 May. Ukraine’s “creation of an ammunition reserve” had also reduced the offensive capabilities of Russian forces. Russia is building up forces near the northern part of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region where it launched an offensive this month, but it still lacks the troop numbers to stage a major push in the area. Russia is continuing to send additional regiments and brigades from other areas and from training grounds to bulk up its troops in the Kharkiv region’s north.

Russia is building up forces near the northern part of Ukraine’s Kharkiv region where it launched an offensive this month, but it still lacks the troop numbers to stage a major push in the area, Ukraine’s top commander said on Thursday.

According to Reuters, Ukraine says it has stabilised the front in the north-eastern Kharkiv region where Russian forces launched a cross-border assault on 10 May that opened a new front in the 27-month-old war and stretched Kyiv’s outnumbered troops.

Col Gen Oleksandr Syrskyi said Russia was continuing to send additional regiments and brigades from other areas and from training grounds to bulk up its troops on two main lines of attack in Kharkiv region’s north.

That includes the Strilecha-Lyptsi area between two small villages and the vicinity of the border town of Vovchansk where there has been street fighting.

In a statement on Telegram, Syrskyi said:

 

These forces are currently insufficient for a large-scale offensive and breakthrough of our defence.

He said Ukraine’s “creation of an ammunition reserve” had also reduced the offensive capabilities of Russian forces

The remark suggested Kyiv’s acute shortages of artillery ammunition had eased since the United States finally approved a major aid package in April after months of delay.

The US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said on Wednesday that American weapons being delivered were helping to stabilise the Ukrainian frontlines.

Russia has concentrated most of its offensive pressure in Ukraine’s east where its troops have been able to make slow incremental advances since capturing the town of Avdiivka in Donetsk region in February.