In recent weeks the Russia of Vladimir Putin intensified the bombing on Kharkivin the’Ukraine eastern, raining clouds of missiles, bombs and drones on the city. The second most populous city in Ukraine is a strategic objective of Moscow and risks not resisting the Russian offensive and the “amoeba tactics“.
Kharkiv strategic objective of Russia
Kharkivcapital of the oblast of the same name inUkraine northeastern, became next objective of the Russian offensive. Since the middle of last month, Moscow has intensified attacks on the city, with continuous missile and drone launches.
Kharkiv is the second most populous city of Ukraine after Kiev, before the war it had almost two million inhabitants. His fall could change the fate of the war which has been going on for over two years now.
As he explained a few weeks ago in an interview with Bild Ukrainian President Volodymyr ZelenskyKharkiv “has a great symbolic meaning“, for this reason “we are doing everything possible to prevent Russian forces from invading and taking control of the second largest city in the country”.
The city is also important from the point of view strategic: by taking it, Moscow’s forces could consolidate and extend the war front, wresting control over the entire eastern part of the country from Kiev.
Kharkiv risks falling
Kharkiv is less than 50 kilometers from the Russian bordera position that allows Russia to better support its attacking forces.
Russian bombing of Kharkiv causes frequent blackouts
Moscow has intensified in the last few weeks i missile and drone launches against the city, targeting in particular power plants and energy infrastructure and residential areas. That’s the goal terrorize the population and make the city uninhabitableso as to force residents to flee.
Without new military aid and the air defenses that Kiev has long been asking its Western allies Kharkiv could fall within a short time, in the next few months.
“We need this support to prevent Kharkiv from becoming one second Aleppo“he told the Guardian the mayor of the city, Igor Terekhovreferring to the Syrian city heavily bombed by forces from Moscow and Damascus at the height of the civil war in Syria from ten years ago.
The amoeba tactic
According to the Chief of Staff of the Estonian Army, Enno Mots, “it’s a miracle that Kharkiv is still standing.” Moscow has intensified attacks on the city to widen the front line and force Kiev to spread out its defenses.
“The Russians – explained the general – are using what we could define as a ‘amoeba tactic‘. They don’t have the strength for a big breakthrough and this leads them to test lines everywherewith contempt for the lives of their soldiers and their vehicles, hoping to have an opportunity.”
A real “meat grinder strategy“, with Moscow sending waves of soldiers to the front to try to wear down Ukrainian forces. According to an analysis of BBCthey would be beyond 50 thousand the dead Russian soldiers so far in Ukraine.
Photo source: ANSA
