Syrskyi: Russia building up forces near Kharkiv Oblast but not enough for breakthrough

Russia is building up forces near Kharkiv Oblast, but they are not enough to break through Ukrainian defenses, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said on May 30.

Moscow launched a new offensive on May 10 in northern Kharkiv Oblast. Last week, the Ukrainian military reported that the Russian advance in the sector had been halted and that Kyiv's troops were conducting counterattacks.

Russian forces are increasing the number of troops near the villages of Strilecha and Lyptsi, as well as the town of Vovchansk. These numbers are not enough to carry out a new offensive, according to Syrskyi.

The commander-in-chief said that the Russian military's activities are complicated by the deployment of Ukrainian reserve units to the "hot" areas of the front line.

The accumulation of ammunition supplies and degradation of Russian forces also reduced Russian offensive capabilities, Syrskyi wrote on Facebook.

Subscribe to newsletter

War Notes

Subscribe

"Therefore, the enemy has switched to the tactic of hitting our positions with artillery fire and strikes with aerial bombs," Syrskyi said.

"In these circumstances, the destruction of the aircraft carrying the KABs (satellite-guided bombs), as well as reconnaissance drones and fire adjusters, electronic warfare protection of our troops, camouflage, and the use of mock-ups are of paramount importance."

The commander added that the Ukrainian military leadership is currently taking "urgent measures" to improve the air defense control system, its automation, and its coordination with the Ground Forces' firepower and electronic warfare systems.

Moscow is forming another grouping of forces near Ukraine's northern border, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on May 26. The Ukrainian military did not rule out a similar Russian offensive in Sumy Oblast.

Russia’s new Kharkiv offensive pushes Vovchansk to the brink of annihilation

VOVCHANSK, KHARKIV OBLAST – The glide bombs arrive in groups of three. Their flight can be heard from far away, but only in the last second before impact is it clear where it will hit. The explosions, orders of magnitude more powerful than regular artillery shells, shake the ground where the

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell