Didn’t Russian say one of their goals was to neutralize the Ukrainian military? Then independence for Luhansk and Donetsk? Kharkiv is not in those regions. Do you all think this is a hit and run operation to wear down the Ukrainian military?
RE: Do you all think this is a hit and run operation to wear down the Ukrainian military?
They said the same thing about Kyiv. If it were so, it is a very costly hit and run operation — 20,000 dead and even more badly wounded seems like a chess game where you sacrifice your valuable pieces in order to win the game. There may be a method to the madness but I fail to see it.
“Do you all think this is a hit and run operation to wear down the Ukrainian military?”
No.
All these things have accomplished is wearing down the Russkie military, with units actively refusing to go forward and running from the battlefield. Morale is collapsing for the Russkies all along their territory.
The attack around north eastern Kharkiv will move east, to relieve Ukrainian forces have been holding out in the northern Donbas. That's where Ukraine has been under "immanent encirclement and collapse" for a few weeks. "Imminent" because that is where Ukraine spent several years building up defenses and Russia has been unable to make any advances.
Which means in a few weeks, the experts who say they have been saying all along that Ukraine cannot win will have to change what they have been saying they have been saying all along, again.