Vladimir Putin’s military is blowing up bridges as it appears to be creating a “buffer zone” to limit attacks into Russia rather than advancing on Ukraine’s second largest city, say defence experts.
They stressed that Russian forces had made “tactically significant advances” towards Kharkiv in the north east of the country.
But they are not picking up signs yet that Putin’s army chiefs are planning a deep offensive towards the city of Kharkiv.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Kyiv on Tuesday, in a show of support for Ukraine, as the first batch of a huge new package of military aid from America was arriving in the country.
It was said to include artillery, missile interceptors, and long-range precision missiles capable of striking targets more than 200 miles away.
But Putin’s army has been on the advance in recent months, as the additional military support was delayed, particularly by a group of pro-Trump Republicans in Washington.
“Russian forces continued to make tactically significant advances north and northeast of Kharkiv City on May 13 and currently appear to be prioritizing the rapid establishment of a ‘buffer zone’ along the international border over setting conditions for deeper penetrations into northern Kharkiv Oblast (province),” said the Institute for The Study of War.
Putin’s army has seized a number of, or at least parts of, villages and towns in the area in recent days, though Ukraine sources claimed Russian units had suffered heavy losses.
The ISW added: “Russian forces’ relatively rapid rate of advances in Vovchansk and their reported destruction of several bridges across key waterways within the settlement suggest that Russian forces are prioritizing the creation of a ‘buffer zone’ over a deeper penetration.”
The Washington-based military think tank explained further: “Russian forces notably conducted strikes against bridges over the Vovcha River immediately west and east of Vovchansk on May 12 and began targeting bridges over the river and logistics lines in Vovchansk itself on May 13, reportedly only leaving Ukrainian forces with two usable bridges over the Vovcha in Vovchansk.
“It is unclear why Russian forces would largely target bridges they would need to cross and ensure stable logistics across the Vovcha River for offensive operations deeper into northern Kharkiv Oblast, so these strikes suggest that Russian forces may be prioritizing immediate gains in an unfortified area of northern Ukraine.”
Tanks were said to have been used in the advance on Vovchansk on Sunday night, with attacks continuing on Monday.
The ISW stressed: “The deployment of armoured assets in this area suggests that Russian forces are seeking to make rapid gains, but they do not appear to be setting conditions at this time for such gains to be on the southern side of the Vovcha River deeper into northern Kharkiv Oblast.
“These indicators collectively suggest that Russian forces are likely trying to create the promised ‘buffer zone’ in the border area instead of pursuing deeper gains into Kharkiv Oblast or towards Kharkiv City.”
Russia said on Tuesday that it had destroyed 25 Ukraine-launched missiles over its Belgorod region
Ukraine's air defence systems destroyed all 18 attack drones that Russia launched overnight at Ukrainian territory, Ukraine's air force said on Tuesday.
The drones were downed over several regions, including the Kyiv region and the frontline regions, the air force said.
It added that Russia launched one Iskander-M ballistic missile. It was not clear what happened to the missile.
