RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE IN KHARKIV IS COMING

Amid the ongoing heavy battles on the frontlines in Ukraine, the warring sides continue mutual strikes in the rear areas. While Russian drones and missiles are pounding Ukrainian military facilities and finish off its energy grid, the Ukrainian military resumed attempts to reach Russian rear areas with kamikaze UAVs. On the night of May 10, a series of Russian strikes hit the southern Mykolaiv region. According to local sources, the targets included a local point of temporary deployment of Ukrainian military personnel and hangars with military equipment. In their turn, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched strikes on Russian territory. Dozens of Ukrainian UAVs are intercepted by Russian air defense forces in the border regions daily but some of the drones manage to reach facilities in the strategic rear areas. At night, Ukrainian drones targeted an oil refinery in the Kaluga region. The day before, facilities of the Russian fuel and energy complex in the Krasnodar region and in Bashkortostan. On the evening of May 9, Ukrainian forces launched drone strikes in an attempt to thwart the Victory Day celebrations in the Russian capital. One UAV was intercepted in the town of Podolsk located on the southern outskirts of Moscow. Such an attack could not inflict any significant damage but was mainly aimed to achieve at least some media effect. Unfortunately, another Ukrainian attack had large chances to result in heavy civilian losses. Kiev targeted the center of the city of Mariupol with missiles where the residents were celebrating the great holiday. Russian air defense forces repelled the attack. In its daily briefing, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed the destruction of three US-made ATACMS missiles. Kiev pushed by its NATO curators is pushing hard to reach Russian rear facilities, turning a blind eye to the treatment to civilians. Meanwhile the Russian army is steadily advancing on the battlefields and achieving new gains. The Russian offensive has brought results on the Zaporozhie frontlines, in the heavily fortified town of Krasnogorovka located on the southwestern outskirts of Donetsk as well as in the Seversk and Kupyansk directions. North of Avdeevka, the Russian Defense declared control of Novokalinovo; while in the south, Russian servicemen launched an assault on Umanskoe and captured almost the entire village. The morning of May 10 was marked by a sudden escalation in the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian strongholds in different border settlements came under one of the most massive artillery and aviation strikes to date. Clashes broke out in several border settlements, some of which reportedly came under Russian control. Awaiting for a large-scale Russian offensive, Ukrainians launched the evacuation of the local population. The Ukrainian military, exhausted and scattered on a wide front, is facing a new challenge. Apparently, the Russian assault on the Kharkiv region has begun.