"It's unrealistic": General Malomuzh reveals troop numbers needed for potential offensive on Kharkiv and Sumy

General Mykola Malomuzh, former head of Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service (2005-2010), stated that at least 1 million troops would be required by the occupiers to sustain constant offensive operations, making a strategic offensive on Kharkiv and Sumy unlikely

He made these remarks during an interview on Espreso TV.

"Today, it's challenging to act discreetly. The National Security Agency possesses significant information about Russian leadership plans, including those of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff. Moreover, Ukraine has ample intelligence on Russia's intentions. Consequently, any concentration of Russian forces towards Kupyansk and beyond to the Kharkiv and Sumy regions will be immediately detected," Malomuzh explained.

Malomuzh stressed that a repeated Russian assault on Kharkiv and Sumy is improbable.

"The Russians are attempting to bolster their troop presence in the Kupyansk area to 120,000 personnel, with plans to advance further. However, our defense forces are effectively repelling their advances in this sector. The Russians lack the manpower - more than 1 million personnel - to sustain continuous offensive operations on all fronts. Forming a new formidable force for a second attack on Kharkiv and Sumy would be exceedingly challenging for them. A strategic offensive on both cities is unrealistic," he added.

• "Meduza" reports that Russian security forces believe that Kharkiv could be occupied by the aggressor country, though a decision on a large-scale offensive has not yet been made.
• Meanwhile, the Center for Countering Disinformation refuted claims of Russian preparations for an offensive on Kharkiv, stating the information is false.
• On April 1, Mayor Ihor Terekhov addressed rumors of a potential Russian offensive on Kharkiv and the possibility of evacuation.
• Spokesperson Andriy Yusov of the Main Directorate of Intelligence stated on April 3 that Russian claims of an "offensive on Kharkiv" are part of an information and psychological operation, with no evidence of enemy strike group formations.
• Pro-Russian users on the social network X (Twitter) circulated a false narrative suggesting that the Armed Forces of Kharkiv serve as human shields to impede the Russian Armed Forces in a large-scale offensive, with Kyiv's understanding.
• On April 27, the Kharkiv regional military administration refuted Russian claims of government institutions and military families evacuating from Kharkiv.
• Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov became the first high-ranking Russian official to confirm Putin's objective of capturing Kharkiv.