Rome, 13 May 2024 – An offensive in Kharkiv, a earthquake at the top of the defense ministry Russian where the era of the powerful and popular ends after 12 years Sergei Shoigu‘promoted by Vladimir Putin (a move that seems to be in the spirit of promoveatur ut amoveatur ) at the helm of Security Council instead of the superhawk Nikolai Patrushev the former head of the FSB who is suspected of having planned the attack on Prigozhin. In place of Shoigu, Putin proposed the appointment of another silovik from his magic circle, the former first deputy prime minister of the outgoing government Andrei Belousovan economist formerly head of Rosneft and Minister of Economic Development.
Shoigu heads Security Council in place of Patrushev
The news arrives in the evening while the Russians continue theiroffensive north of Kharkiv, started the day before yesterday. An overall strength of 20 thousand men it entered two areas, one further east in the direction of Milking and one to the west towards Vovchansk.
In the first, on a 18 kilometer front advanced 3-5, took four villages for a total of 54 square kilometers of territory. In the second they advanced on a front of 22 kilometers for 1-4, conquered three villages and taking 35 square kilometers. The advance is by mechanized troops supported by artillery, drones and aviation and is opposed by around 6 thousand Ukrainians. Kharkiv is still 36 kilometers away, so for now it is not at risk, but within the next 24/48 hours the Russians could enter Vovchansk, from which they are a couple of kilometers away and within the week they could attack Lypsi, which is 6/7 kilometers away. In the bombings there were 3 dead and 5 wounded Ukrainian civilians.
I’ve been since Saturday 4 thousand civilians evacuated, both from the villages then taken by the Russians and in those within range, especially Vovchansk. The Ukrainians responded by hitting Belgorod (causing at least 6 civilian deaths). “In the Kharkiv region, along an important border strip – said the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky in a video message – defensive operations and fierce battles take place. The situation is very difficult near Vovchansk. The city is constantly under Russian fire. Our army continues to counter Russian attacks.” Also the commander of the Ukrainian forces Alexander Syrsky hadmitted that “the situation in the Kharkiv region has worsened significantly” but “the defense forces are doing everything to maintain their lines and positions”.
But what is the scope and what are the objectives of the offensive? “The Russians – observes the military analyst Orio Giorgio Stirpeuntil 2020 colonel of the Italian Army, specialized in tactical analysis and intelligence operativa– they had been massing troops in the north for a year, around the railway/logistics terminal of Belgorodfor a possible advance. Now the time has come. The attack does not appear to be aimed at creating a buffer zone against the risk of incursion into Russian territory by the so-called ‘Russian partisans’ and instead appears to be aimed at forcing the Ukrainians to move troops from Donbass to defend the area.”
“The objective – continues Stirpe – must be underlined, it is not Kharkiv, which the Russians managed to conquer not even in February March 2022 and to take which many more troops would be needed of those that the Russians have available: it is a diversionary attack that lengthens the front. The more troops the Russians manage to move, the more successful the operation will be, which could also bring the Russian guns within range of Kharkiv.”
2024-05-13 05:42:04
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