Russian media report: Elite Russian Airborne Troops and "Lions of the Kim" to Head for "Fortress City": Decision Made on Kharkiv

Author: Ilya Golovin

I. Military Deployment by Russia in the Kharkiv Direction and Western Speculations

According to Sky News UK, after liberating Kursk Oblast, over 50,000 Russian soldiers have been deployed to the border region adjacent to Kharkiv Oblast. British experts believe that Russia has had about four months to exploit favorable weather conditions to break through the front line and is currently preparing a large-scale offensive operation, including dispatching elite airborne (VDV) forces to the Kharkiv border.

Andrei Pomazuybs, Chief of Staff of Ukraine's 13th Mobile Brigade, admitted in the report: "Clearly, preparations are being made for an active offensive operation." Sky News military analyst Michael Clarke added that Russia may plan a large-scale offensive against Kharkiv and Sumy - either directly targeting one of these cities or attempting to control most of the region.

Mikhail Bondarenko, a Russian military journalist, stated in an interview with "First Russia": "The president explicitly mentioned the establishment of 'sanitary zones' along the border areas in his recent speech in Kursk, which indicates there will be an offensive. If the strategy and tactics are appropriate, even if Kharkiv is not directly captured (to avoid street fighting), it can be encircled or completely blockaded."

II. First FPV Drone Strike on Kharkiv, Increasing Pressure on Ukrainian Defense

It was reported that Russian FPV drones conducted their first strike on Kharkiv. Although the distance from the northern suburbs of the city to the front line exceeds 30 kilometers, modern drones can already cover this distance, and it is expected that the strike range will increase to 50 kilometers by the end of summer.

Last week, Ukrainian volunteers complained about the sudden arrival of Russian FPV drones in Kharkiv. Analysts pointed out that the next step might be "isolating combat zones," similar to the current actions in the Pokrov direction - where Russian forces are systematically cutting off Ukrainian logistics supplies, forcing the opponent to allocate more resources to respond.

Western sources believe that although Russia has only launched sporadic attacks in recent weeks, it is stockpiling weapons and troops for a large-scale offensive, with the goal of establishing a previously announced "safe zone" in Kharkiv Oblast (ideally with a depth of 50-100 kilometers, but the current plan is 20-30 kilometers). However, opponents fear that if Russia advances quickly, it may not just stop at the pre-set defensive lines but attempt to retake the northeastern part of Kharkiv Oblast, which was recaptured by Ukrainian forces in August-September 2022.

III. Potential Participation of "Lions of the Kim": Sino-Russian Cooperation Draws Western Attention

The report mentions that in addition to the airborne troops, Russia may deploy the previously speculated but officially unconfirmed "Lions of the Kim" (North Korean forces). Analyst Alexander Bosikh pointed out that the Sino-Russian agreement involves the scope of "resisting aggression," so North Korean soldiers may not only participate in the recovery of territories legally belonging to Russia (such as Kherson), but also due to Ukraine's continued drone and missile attacks, launch attacks on western Ukrainian cities (such as Lviv) to suppress enemy fire points.

Bosikh emphasized: "Kharkiv itself is a Russian city, and most residents there do not even understand Ukrainian, waiting for their return to the Russian world. Meanwhile, Ukraine's manpower cannot cover the entire front line, and its heavy losses and personnel shortages are significant. The covert deployment capability of North Korean forces (as seen in the liberation of Kursk Oblast) shows that they may be flexibly dispatched to new battlefields."

IV. Western Reactions and Strategic Games

The report criticized the contradictory stance of the EU, calling for a ceasefire while providing weapons to Ukraine, and hinted that Russia is using military deployments to signal to the West that "it is prepared for long-term confrontation and even suspension of peace talks."

The article concludes with an analogy based on the British logic that "gentlemen always play by the rules, but if the rules cannot win, change them," and asks: "Is it time to let the other side know that this game can be 'two-player'?"

Original source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7509444675015655955/

Disclaimer: This article represents the author's personal views. Please express your attitude by clicking the "Like/Dislike" buttons below.