Topline
Ukraine’s military claimed Monday it had recaptured more than 20 towns and villages in the past 24 hours as part of its fast-moving counteroffensive in the northeast of the country, capping off a stunning weekend rout of Russian forces in the Kharkiv region.
A Ukrainian soldier passes by a Russian tank damaged in a battle in a just freed territory on the … [+]
Key Facts
In an official statement on Facebook, the General Staff Of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said it has managed to “drive out the enemy” and take “complete control” of more than 20 settlements in the Kharkiv region in the past 24 hours.
Since Wednesday, Ukrainian forces have recaptured territory at least twice the size of Greater London (approximately 1100 square miles), according to the U.K. defense ministry’s intelligence briefing.
The Ukrainian military accused the fleeing Russian forces of looting property and vehicles from locals in the Kharkiv province, which had been under Moscow’s control since February and served as a launchpad for a key flank of its operations in eastern Ukraine.
Russia’s most significant loss in Kharkiv has been the retreat from the city of Izyum which had become a key logistics and supply hub for its forces in the east.
On Telegram, Kharkiv’s Governor Oleh Syniehubov said Ukrainian troops have managed to reach as far as the Russian border “in some areas of the front.”
Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of retaliation by targeting the power infrastructure in Kharkiv with rocket attacks and causing large-scale blackouts.
What To Watch For
Despite facing a rout in the northeast, Russian-installed leaders in Ukraine’s southern city of Kherson insist there will be “no retreat” in Telegram posts. However, the U.K. defense ministry’s assessment suggests Moscow may not have adequate reserves to defend the territory. Kherson is one of the first key cities captured by Russia in the early days of its invasion and Ukraine is currently mounting a large-scale push to retake the city and its surrounding province. Failure to hold on to Kherson could be a major blow to both the morale of Russian troops in Ukraine and Putin’s popularity at home—something that may already be happening.
News Peg
Buoyed by the success of its blitzkrieg, Ukraine is now urging the West to further step up military support to ensure its victory. On Sunday, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted: “Weapons, weapons, weapons have been on our agenda since spring. I am grateful to partners who have answered our call: Ukraine’s battlefield successes are our shared ones. Three agenda items now are schedule, schedule, and schedule. Prompt supplies bring victory and peace closer.” The calls appear to be primarily directed at Germany, which has remained circumspect about sending offensive weapons to Ukraine. Speaking to German public broadcaster ZDF the new U.S. ambassador to Berlin, Amy Guttmann, urged Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government to take on a “greater leadership role” on Ukraine and do everything needed to ensure Ukraine’s victory.
Key Background
Moscow appears to have been completely caught off guard by the speed and ferocity of Ukraine’s advance in the northeast. Already facing a manpower shortage, Russia had no choice but to spread itself thin in the northeast as most of its reserves were sent south to bolster the defense of Kherson, whose recapture efforts have been widely publicized by the leadership in Kyiv. Moscow officially acknowledged the loss of territory in the Northeast on Saturday but tried to spin it as a deliberate retreat to regroup its forces. However, reporting by the Washington Post suggests the exit of Russian forces from Kharkiv was far more chaotic with many of them simply dropping their guns and fleeing.
Further Reading
Russia Admits Retreat As Ukraine Make s First Major Gains In Months (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/siladityaray/2022/09/12/ukraines-stunning-advance-continues-as-it-claims-its-recaptured-20-settlements-in-24-hours/