Institute for the Study of War: Russia intends to annex Kharkiv Oblast, has territorial ambitions beyond Donbas

The U.S. think tank reported on July 9 that Russia likely wants to annex Kharkiv Oblast after Russian proxies in the region unveiled a new flag, claiming that it is an “inalienable part of Russian land.” The ISW also suggests that the Kremlin is facing challenges regarding the direct censorship of Russian war correspondents and milbloggers, and may seek to promote self-censorship.