The West’s policy against striking Russia has played a significant role in the new offensive unfolding in Ukraine. As Russia launches a major offensive in the Kharkiv region, military analysts believe that Russia is taking advantage of the fact that several Western countries do not allow their weapons to be used on Russian soil.
With Russia claiming to have seized nine border settlements and amassing between 30,000 to 50,000 troops in the region, the scale and ferocity of the attack have caught Ukraine by surprise. While Russia may not have the military resources to sustain a second front without compromising its main effort in the Donbas, the lack of Western-provided weapons targeting Russian forces on Russian territory has limited Ukraine’s ability to counter the offensive.
By opening a second front, Russia forces Ukraine to spread its resources even more thinly, leaving them vulnerable on the frontline in the Donbas. Putin’s military objectives include creating a buffer zone to protect the Russian border town of Belgorod and threatening the major Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.
Despite the limitations imposed by the West’s policy, Russia has considerable forces in reserve to capitalize on any momentum gained during the current offensive. The evolving battlefield environment underscores the dynamic nature of warfare and the challenges faced by Ukraine in defending against Russia’s aggressive tactics.
