Russia continues to increase troops in the Belgorod region in order to stop Ukrainian counterattacks around the city of Kharkov and prevent the exit to the Ukrainian-Russian border. This is stated in the report of the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
ISW noted that the Russian military left no attempts to surround Kharkov from the north and east in the horseshoe -shaped form, despite the presence of only three battalion tactical groups (BTG) operating in the north of the Kharkov region.
According to the General Staff of Ukraine, the Russians additionally accumulated 19 battalion-tactical groups in the Belgorod region, which can strengthen the Kharkov direction.
A senior representative of the American Ministry of Defense said that over the past week, Ukrainian forces pushed Russians almost 48 kilometers to the east, probably referring to the liberation of the Ukrainian army on May 2 of the village of Old Salts of the Volchansky district of the Kharkov region.
Experts add that the troops of Russia did not commit confirmed attacks to the southeast or southwest of Raisins on May 9. However, they probably try to concentrate the forces necessary to resume offensive operations in the coming days.