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Ukraine’s defenses ‘at risk of collapse’ as authorities fear a major Russian advance and an all-out attack to take control of the second city
Western officials have expressed concern in recent media reports that Ukraine’s defenses may be at risk of collapsing in the face of renewed Russian aggression.
Ukraine faces shortages of both manpower and ammunition, and it appears increasingly outmanned and outgunned on the battlefield.
The country is currently at its “most vulnerable moment” since the start of the war, Western officials familiar with the situation told Bloomberg.
They warned that Russia could be given the opportunity to make major advances for the first time since near the start of the war.
This follows reports that Ukraine’s second-largest city may be the target of a new Russian attack, with many analysts predicting that President Vladimir Putin will It suggests that there is a high possibility of launching an attack.
The city of Kharkiv has been under intense Russian shelling in recent months, and has been attacked by S-300 ballistic missiles and glide bombs.
Last week, the Russian military launched a “Double Tap” attack. This is a tactic that involves attacking the target twice, targeting emergency personnel who arrive at the scene of the first attack.
According to media reports, Kharkiv is not the most likely target, but Russian news outlets are raising the possibility.
If targeted, it would likely be due to its proximity to the Russian border and attacks in the nearby Russian region of Belgorod.
President Vladimir Putin has previously talked about creating a “buffer zone” on Ukraine’s border to deter attacks on Russia.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who inspected Ukrainian defensive fortifications in the Kharkiv region on Tuesday, said Russia could be preparing a major offensive in late May or June.
However, it is considered difficult for Moscow to capture Kharkiv, especially since it failed spectacularly to capture it in 2022.
Ukraine expert and former defense minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk told The Economist that there was a “strong possibility” that Russia would not succeed in encircling the city, establishing air superiority, and winning the urban operations needed to seize Kharkov. he said.
Still, there are concerns that Russia could attempt to destroy the city in an attack reminiscent of the one in Aleppo.
Rob Lee, a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute think tank in Philadelphia, said: “There are two problems right now: ammunition and human resources.If we can address those, I think Ukraine will be able to stop Russia from advancing.” ” he said.
“However, if the issue is not resolved, Russia could reap even greater benefits this summer.”
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