May-June: Expect fierce battles

Predictions foresaw the Russians' intent to engage in battles in the northern Kharkiv region, making it almost inevitable.

This was anticipated by many, especially the Ukrainian Defense Forces, without sugarcoating.

Their preparations were evident, as were their concentrations. No surprises there. Even in personal discussions, fighters hinted at May 10 as the start of heightened hostilities here. And it came to pass.

They're trying to stretch the front by leveraging their manpower advantage, attempting to infiltrate our territory in Kharkiv, at least by a few kilometers, while American aid is still arriving or yet to be fully distributed among our forces. Their aim is to consolidate themselves and attract the Ukrainian army to the Kharkiv area by the very fact of their presence.

Moreover, establishing a buffer zone near the border reduces Ukraine's Defense Forces' ability to strike into Russian territory.

They aim to divert our reserves by engaging us in battles in Vovchansk and Kharkiv before launching a main attack on Donbas.

These points are evident even to a layperson, let alone a military expert, which I'm not.

All reputable military experts agree that the enemy lacks the forces for a genuine assault on major cities or even district centers in the region. Particularly without the element of surprise or "fog of war."

But words aside, our Defense Forces fighters will be the ones to halt them, while planning on maps is a complex endeavor.

However, this situation results from both ammunition and personnel shortages. Russia feels emboldened to expand the front again after previously attempting to shrink it.

We should support our units in this direction who already face the enemy with valor.

Supporting the Ukrainian Defense Forces is crucial now; they desperately need assistance.

As promised, May-June will indeed be intense. Russia sees this as its opportunity, perhaps its last, to change the course of the war, and it'll deploy all available resources wherever possible.

Don't panic, disregard Russian disinformation, and understand your role in all of this.

I sincerely hope the enemy's proximity to Kharkiv will dispel any illusions about the war being confined to Donbas.

Source

About the author. Bohdan Butkevych, journalist

The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.