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Sky News
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Sky News
Kharkiv: Why Russian troops are massing near Ukraine's 'fortress city'
Russian forces are reportedly gathering across the border from Ukraine's "fortress city" - but why? After pushing Ukrainian troops out of Kursk, the Russian region they had occupied parts of for many months, what's left of the 50,000-strong Russian force is positioned just across the border from Kharkiv. A major push along all or part of the frontline by Moscow's troops has been expected for some time but has not yet fully materialised, analysts say. It's believed Russia has a "four-month window" to break through Ukrainian forces before the weather begins to turn and dwindling stocks of Soviet tanks possibly start to run low. Where are the massing Russian troops - and are elite soldiers among them? Kremlin troops have been gathering on the other side of the border near Kharkiv in northeast Ukraine, according to a senior Ukrainian military figure. "The enemy is trying to pull its personnel closer to the line of combat contact and conduct at least some assault actions," Andriy Pomahaibus, chief of staff of the 13th Operational Brigade, said this week. "In general, they are not succeeding." Nonetheless, he said there is "clear preparation for active assault actions by the enemy". 39:55 Sky News military analyst Michael Clarke says the accumulation of troops comes off the back of the Russian operation to push Ukraine out of the pocket of the Kursk region they had occupied, which is not far from Kharkiv. "Now they have Kursk back the argument is: will they keep going?" Some of Russia's most experienced soldiers - including from the elite VDV airborne unit - were moved to reinforce the Kursk campaign, and could still be among the gathered troops. Prof Clarke adds: "If they have left those units there, that would suggest they want them to spearhead something else. "If those units turn up back around Pokrovsk (in Donetsk) that would then mean they are not about to build up a major strategic attack near Kharkiv." Is Russia preparing to attack Kharkiv? Prof Clarke says it's possible Russia is preparing for a big push near the border cities of Kharkiv and Sumy. This could either be a direct attack on one of the cities - a tough task given how well defended they are - or an attempt to capture much of the surrounding area Ukraine liberated in Autumn 2022. Located just 20 miles from the border with Russia, Kharkiv is Ukraine's second-largest city with a pre-2022 population of more than a million. It is regarded as a "fortress" and was awarded the distinction Hero City of Ukraine for its resistance during the opening months of the 2022 invasion. However, Prof Clarke doesn't think Russia has the resources for a big push at Kharkiv or Sumy this summer, after the Kremlin instead opted to try to attack along wide stretches of the frontline. "I think the Russians basically used up the forces they might have otherwise used up for a strategic offensive," he says. This, he says, caused Ukraine to use up its reserves to counter the Russian attacks. "Both sides have sacrificed the possibility of a strategic offensive for this ongoing battle of attrition." 'Four-month window' for Russia to make a breakthrough Dr Jack Watling, a military expert from the RUSI thinktank, argues Russia will likely "soft launch" its offensive rather than going for a rapid manoeuvre by large mechanised units. "The Russians lack the force quality to operate in this way," he says. Instead, the summer offensive will likely see a "steady increase in the number and scale of assaults across a broadening area", he added. "Indeed, there are indications this process has already started." 3:44 Prof Clarke says Russia has a "four-month window" to make a breakthrough in Ukraine this year. "I think they must know this is their last year of build-up before they reach a plateau," he adds, referring to Russia's issues with tank production. Thus far Russia has been using its vast stocks of vehicles left over from the Soviet era, with only about 25% of its armour coming from new production. Dr Watling agrees: "Russian stockpiles of legacy Soviet equipment, from tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, to artillery pieces, will be running out between now and mid-autumn, such that Russia's ability to replace losses will be entirely dependent on what it can produce from scratch." This, he added, makes the prospect of fresh sanctions from Europe and possibly America particularly timely.
Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Putin amasses troops at border amid chilling Putin peace talk attack warning
Ukrainian intelligence warns Russia is preparing a major build-up or troops in readiness for a major pre-Summer attack in a bid to gain major new ground ahead of any ceasefire talks Ukrainian forces are bracing for another major frontline assault from Russia after learning of a large build-up of pre-battle troops in the north east. Intelligence analysis suggests Russia is massing assault units near embattled Kharkiv in readiness for a pre-summer bid to breakthrough defences. It is possible, sources say, that Putin has ordered a major attack timed to gain ground if peace talks get underway, to give the Kremlin more leverage. There are also fears Moscow has developed and produced devastating fibre optic drones which cannot be electronically jammed and can be blown 25 miles inside Ukraine. Andriy Pomahaibus, chief of staff of Ukraine's 13th Charter Operational Brigade,said the troop concentration may be a sign of planned assault operations. He said: 'Russian forces typically use a combined approach – artillery, drones for reconnaissance and attack, heavy equipment, and infantry. They often distract in one area and advance in another.' Attacks have been ongoing in border areas of Sumy and Kharkiv but it is believed a fresh escalation is coming as the ground hardens and the fighting season gets underway. It is believed Russia wants to create buffer zones or large heavily defended no-go areas to prevent Ukraine from launching a counter-attack. In another significant move President Vladimir Putin visited Russia's Kursk region for the first time on Wednesday since Moscow claimed it drove Ukrainian forces out of the area. Russia has reclaimed about two-thirds of the captured territory of Kursk inside its border, leaving Ukraine with an area around Sudzha, a border town that was Ukraine's main hub in the region. The kremlin claims no no direct peace talks have yet been scheduled between Ukraine and Russia. It is almost a week since they held a face-to-face session in Turkey in which a major prisoner swap was agreed upon. kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: "There is no concrete agreement about the next meetings. They are yet to be agreed upon." At the same time as the troop build-up near Kharkiv, it is also feared Russia is preparing large-scale forces within 100 miles of Russia's border with Finland, sparking major alarm within NATO. An attack on Finland would drag other countries such as the UK into a major war with Russia. Fresh building of barracks and other logistical hubs have been spotted along with preparations chillingly similar to the build up of Russian forces before the 2022 February invasion from Belarus and the eastern frontline. During two hours of talks in Istanbul on May 16, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each, in what would be their biggest such swap. Several months of intensified U.S. and European pressure on the two sides to accept a ceasefire and negotiate a settlement have yielded little progress. And far from seeking peace Russia is readying for a summer offensive. Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this week that Moscow would "propose and is ready to work with" Ukraine on a "memorandum" outlining the framework for "a possible future peace treaty." Putin has effectively rejected a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has accepted. European leaders have accused Putin of dragging his feet in peace efforts while he tries to press his bigger army's battlefield initiative and capture more Ukrainian land. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that preparations are underway for the potential prisoner exchange, which he described as "perhaps the only real result" of the talks in Turkey. Russia and Ukraine have been firing dozens of long-range drones at each other's territory almost daily. Russia's Defence Ministry said it shot down 105 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 35 over the Moscow region. It was the second straight night that Kyiv's forces have targeted the Russian capital. More than 160 flights were delayed at three of Moscow's four main airports, the city's transport prosecutor said, as officials grounded planes citing concerns for passenger safety. The attack prompted some regions to turn off mobile internet signals, including the Oryol region southwest of Moscow, which was targeted heavily Wednesday. Russia has come under escalating drone attacks from Ukraine.
