U.S. experts on situation near Kharkiv: Ukrainian forces gaining momentum

Successful Ukrainian counterattacks near Kharkiv and Russia's deployment of its troops to this sector from Donetsk show that the Ukrainian Armed Forces are gaining momentum.

However, to say whether this brings the situation closer to a turning point, it is necessary to take into account the situation in the entire theater of war and know about the plans of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, U.S. experts monitoring the situation in Ukraine said in comments to Ukrinform.

George Barros, the Russia Team & Geospatial Intelligence Team Lead on the Russia and Ukraine portfolio at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), confirmed that Ukrainian forces had made certain tactical gains on the Kharkiv axis.

He said there was evidence of some successful tactical counterattacks carried out by Ukrainian forces near Hlyboke and Vovchansk. However, it is not yet clear whether Ukrainian forces are going to significantly increase efforts to liberate the occupied parts of the Kharkiv region, Barros said.

When asked whether this can be called a sign of coming closer to a "turning point" in the region, the expert said it was still too early to talk about it. According to him, it is important to take into account the situation in the entire theater of military operations, which also covers the east and south of Ukraine.

According to Barros, the Russians have launched an operation in the Kharkiv sector in order to bind Ukrainian forces and create conditions for their own advance in the Donetsk region.

Alexander Vershbow, former Deputy Secretary General of NATO and U.S. Ambassador to Russia, said the resumption of large-scale aid from the U.S. after the adoption of the law with more than $60 billion for Ukraine had provided a positive effect for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

It appears that the resumption of U.S. arms supplies has led to greater success in Ukraine in blocking Russia's advance on Kharkiv, as well as in the areas around it, Vershbow said.

He also noted that it was still too early to call this the indication that a turning point was about to come. However, according to him, it is obvious that Ukrainian forces are gaining momentum.