Ukrainian and Western officials view Russia's increased shelling of the city of Kharkiv as a way to force civilians to evacuate.
Russia is trying to force Ukrainians to leave Kharkiv
Kharkiv, a northeastern city less than an hour's drive from the Russian border, has come under increasing fire from rockets, drones and heavy guided bombs over the past month. According to Bloomberg, energy infrastructure was damaged, and residential buildings turned into ruins.
The city, which had a pre-war population of about 1.5 million, has been under regular attacks since February 2022, but the Kremlin's latest actions appear to be a coordinated effort to cut off supplies and create conditions that will make the city unlivable, the officials said on condition of anonymity.
The siege of Kharkov is one of the main directions of the Russian military operation, which uses the depletion of artillery reserves and the weakening of Ukrainian air defense, as well as the lack of manpower. More than two years after the start of a full-scale war, living conditions in the city are becoming increasingly dangerous. The damage is quite extensive, and the attacks do not stop, so it will be difficult for the authorities to restore the functioning of the city until next winter, if, of course, the residents are still there, said the publication.
Almost no one predicts that Russian forces will be able to capture the city shortly. The Ukrainian military is strengthening its defences, and officials close to President Volodymyr Zelensky believe that Russia does not have enough resources for a serious offensive. According to them, this forced them to try to create panic.
According to people familiar with the progress of the discussions, American officials do not believe that Moscow can attack Kharkiv without a significant increase in the army size. President Joe Biden's administration also decided how the U.S. could help in the energy sector.
What is known about the situation in Kharkiv
Russia's war against Ukraine has entered a new phase. Drone and missile attacks on the energy infrastructure of Ukraine have become frequent and massive, they exceed the capabilities of the air defense forces. The BBC writes that in the northeast, in Kharkiv, all three large power plants are in ruins.
The attack on March 22 was deliberate and destructive. Five Russian missiles hit the same spot, damaging turbines, generators and transformers and putting the station out of order. A week later, Russia again struck the city's power plants.
