The Russian army is threatening the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. An Estonian general warns of new tactics from Putin.
Kiev – Russia has been shelling the Ukrainian positions around Kharkiv for a long time. Now an Estonian general warns urgently that the city could soon fall into the hands of Vladimir Putin's army.
The Russian military has apparently been able to make progress in recent weeks thanks to a new tactic. And Kharkiv in particular now seems vulnerable. The Chief of the Estonian General Staff, Major General Enno Mõts, makes it clear. In his opinion, Russia could take Kharkiv “in one fell swoop.”
Russia's “amoeba tactics” in the Ukraine war
Mõts describes a new strategy by Moscow in the Ukraine war as an “amoeba tactic”: small troops attack Ukrainian positions spread over a large area in order to find weak points in the defense. However, this has the disadvantage for the Russian army that they have to accept high losses, said the general.
However, Putin seems to accept this. Mõts notes: “They have no possibility of a deep breakthrough, but they push everywhere, risking the lives of their soldiers and their equipment in the hope that an opportunity will suddenly arise.”
Loss of Kharkiv would be particularly painful for Ukraine
Kharkiv in particular seems to be threatened by this. Attacks on the Ukrainian city have increased sharply recently and the Kremlin repeatedly emphasizes the importance of taking the city, reports the
Kyiv Post
.
The loss of the city would be particularly painful for Ukraine: the city is not only of great strategic importance, it is also, in a sense, Ukraine's second capital. “Kharkiv is one of the capitals of Ukraine, so it has great symbolic significance,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told
Bild
.
Zelensky does not rule out major Russian attack on Kharkiv
The Ukrainian president also did not rule out a major attack by Russia on Kharkiv. Putin wants to take Kharkiv “because it is a big symbol for him,” said Zelensky. Russia has recently repeatedly attacked the critical infrastructure in the Kharkiv region. Power plants in particular fell victim to Russian missile attacks.
On Thursday (April 9), Russia fired a total of 82 missiles at critical infrastructure around Kharkiv, further weakening the region,
Politico
reports. Ukraine's current defense capabilities are insufficient to simultaneously protect the front and Ukrainian cities.
Little movement on the front in the Ukraine war
Putin will continue to try to weaken Ukrainian positions through his “amoeba tactics” and airstrikes against infrastructure. It remains to be seen whether he is really planning a major attack against the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. Russia also suffered heavy losses in the Ukraine war. There is currently hardly any movement on the front. Neither side can currently record any major successes.
(SiSchr)