Russia continues to actively withdraw its troops to the north-east of Ukraine. This indicates that the likelihood of a new enemy offensive is increasing dramatically, and it will be difficult for the Ukrainian army to contain the invaders.
Russia may be planning another attack on Ukraine
The new offensive of the Russian army in the Kharkiv region became a serious challenge for the soldiers of the Armed Forces, which they were able to cope with.
Ukrainian commanders were forced to transfer troops to the north in order to strengthen the defence, waiting for the arrival of Western weapons in sufficiently large quantities.
The concentration of Russian occupiers north of the border in the area of the city of Sumy, about 90 miles northwest of Kharkiv, makes the situation even more dangerous, increasing the territory that Ukraine must defend, The New York Times emphasises.
According to Western analysts, new enemy offensives in the Kharkiv or Sumy regions can exhaust the Ukrainian defenders as much as possible and give the Russians an opportunity to advance.
What is Putin really trying to achieve?
According to Serhii Kuzan, the head of the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, the Russian dictator's main goal at the moment is to expand the active front.
In addition, the Kremlin will do everything possible to disorganise the Armed Forces of Ukraine and deprive the Ukrainian command of the opportunity to use reserves.
The expert also drew attention to the fact that forcing Ukraine to transfer troops to the north will improve Russia's prospects for seizing the Donetsk region, which Moscow formally annexed in 2022, but does not fully control.
Western analysts also suggest that gaining full control of the region is a priority for Putin.
