Russia recently began another offensive against Ukrainian forces, this time in the Kharkiv region. This attack was not a surprise development — Russian forces had been preparing themselves over several months for the offensive.
What has taken many international observers by surprise, however, is that Russian forces are making notable gains in the area. The Russia-Ukraine war over the past several months has been described as a stalemate and Russia’s latest attack as a ploy. If so, it’s proving to be a successful one.
The Russian advance should not have taken observers by surprise. Part of the reason for the attack’s success is that Ukraine’s defences were inadequate. That’s primarily due to the haphazard and delayed way that Ukraine’s allies have provided military supplies to the country.
