Troop buildup near Kharkiv region is forced move for Russia — military expert

He shared his opinions with Espreso TV.

“There are reports of Russian troop buildup near the border — possibly in the Kharkiv direction — and serious threats may also arise in the Sumy direction,” said military expert Valery Ryabykh. “This likely reflects Russia’s limited capacity to sustain large-scale ground operations. Despite increasing its grouping to around 650,000 personnel involved in support and offensive actions, the enemy still faces constraints in expanding its offensive efforts. That’s why they are focusing on tactical gains for now, while keeping their main strike direction toward Pokrovsk, aiming to reach the administrative borders of Donetsk region.”

According to Valeriy Ryabykh, Russia is also active in secondary offensive directions, such as Novopavlivka and Lyman.

“In this situation, Russia’s focus on the Kharkiv direction is a forced move. It offers the most favorable logistical conditions — close to supply routes, ammunition depots, and fuel storage — meaning the occupiers don’t need to invest heavily in logistics,” he explained. “However, claims that Russia can achieve major breakthroughs during this summer campaign are exaggerated. Their capacity for large-scale operations remains limited,” Ryabykh concluded.