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A Devastating or Strategic Retreat in Ukraine? — What Next?
Since Ukraine’s Spring 2023 counteroffensive began, we have seen the most fighting in southern Ukraine. However, “probing attacks” were seen across the 1,000km frontline with Russian forces.
Recently, things have changed. As I wrote in a recent post, titled “100,000 Russian Troops Facing Off Ukrainian Counteroffensive in Northeastern Ukraine,” Russians are pushing against Ukrainian forces in northeastern Ukraine, near Kharkiv.
Let me explain.
Over the last few days, the most movement we have seen are in the North and in Donbas, near Bakhmut. The fighting in the North is surrounding Kupyansk and Svatove, two towns that are important for logistics.
Kupyansk serves as a crucial railway intersection in the Kharkiv region. And Svatove sits on a highway, which goes all the way down to Bakhmut, which Russians use to supply its troops.
Around 100,000 troops were reported to have gathered near Svatove, with some advancements against Ukrainian resistance in the region as well. But the frontlines have only moved by a few kilometers, as has become custom in this counteroffensive.
This is not in any way comparable to Ukraine’s Fall 2022 counteroffensive when Ukraine managed to recapture more than 6,000 square kilometers, amassing…
