Russian forces prepare offensive towards Kharkiv - ISW

This is reported by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).

"Russian forces have resumed localized ground attacks northwest and southwest of Izyum and may be setting conditions for offensive operations further west into Kharkiv Oblast or toward Kharkiv City. Russian forces have already launched unsuccessful assaults and reconnaissance-in-force attempts on Chepil, Shchurivka, and Husarivka (northwest of Izyum) and resumed assaults on Dmytrivka and Brazhikivka (southwest of Izyum) in recent days," the message says.

ISW adds that the occupiers have been holding positions around Balaklia and Velyka Komyshuvakha for months. They can also use these areas as a base for an offensive.

"Russian forces may use their positions around Balaklia to restart assaults on Kharkiv City from the southeast. Russian forces are extremely unlikely to seize Kharkiv Oblast or capture Kharkiv City – the second most populated city in Ukraine – given the pace of Russian progress in Donbas and continued challenges in force generation and logistics," the Institute reports.

Earlier, ISW informed that Putin ordered the army to take Kharkiv and the unoccupied part of the region: "but that he is unlikely to be successful in such goals."

In addition, Russian forces can conduct military operations to prevent Ukrainian counterattacks.