Russia-Ukraine-war: US defence analysts claim Kyiv has ‘won the Battle of Kharkiv’

Ukraine’s military “appears to have won the battle of Kharkiv”, US defence analysts have claimed. As per the experts, Russian units have not been able to hold their lines against counterattacking Ukrainian troops around the city, despite the fact that they made the fastest advancement since they pulled away from Kyiv. Located at about 31 miles (50km) from the Russian border, Kharkiv is Ukraine’s second-largest city and has been one of the most heavily shelled regions since the war began in February.

According to the US-based Institute for the Study of War, Russian military has decided to withdraw fully from its positions around Kharkiv City due to the tough Ukrainian counteroffensives and resistance. There is also a limited availability of reinforcements.

"Russian units have generally not attempted to hold ground against counterattacking Ukrainian forces over the past several days, with a few exceptions," the Institute for the Study of War, explained. Citing reports from Western officials and a video from an officer of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR), it added that Moscow is focused on conducting an orderly withdrawal and prioritizing getting Russians to return to their home country before the proxy forces enter Russia "rather than trying to hold its positions near the city." 

"Ukraine thus appears to have won the Battle of Kharkiv. Ukrainian forces prevented Russian troops from encircling, let alone seizing Kharkiv, and then expelled them from around the city, as they did to Russian forces attempting to seize Kyiv," the US-based Institute for the Study of War stated. 

Russian forces concentrate around Belgorod, Izyum

Ukrainian forces will likely attempt to disrupt at least the westernmost regions of the ground lines of communication (GLOCs) between Belgorod. And so, the Russian forces have concentrated around Izyum, as per the Institute for the Study of War. Additionally, they have also deployed the use of several GLOCs fearing that the Ukrainian counteroffensive is likely to reach there soon. Russian troops attempted to make advancement along the periphery of the Izyum-Donetsk city but made little progress, the US-based think tank said. They attempted a ground offensive from Izyum that made no progress. 

"Russia might give up on attempts to advance from Izyum, but the Russians have either not made such a decision or have not fully committed to it yet. Small-scale and unsuccessful attacks on the southern end of the salient near Donetsk City continued but made no real progress," ISW said in its war analysis report. 

Major Russian offensive continues to encircle Severodonetsk and Lysychansk from the north and from the south. But the Russian troops attacking from Popasna to the north made no significant progress in the last 24 hours. Ukrainian forces also disrupted Russia's attempt to cross the Siverskyi Donets River, snubbing its effort to mass troops in northern Donbas and complete the encirclement of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, as per the US-based defence think tank.