Russia has launched an offensive into the Kharkiv region, and it has created a lot of alarmist news reports. In reality it is difficult to see what Russia’s plan is, and it is not self-evident that it is a smart use of resources. In this video I discuss whether we might be seeing a return to the fragmented command structures that Russia had in the beginning of the war.
Thanks, I always like his videos, as he seems to be fairly well informed and seems to be trying to be objective in what he’s presenting. As much as I want the Ukrainians to win, I don’t want to be blinded by overly cheery propaganda that makes it seem like Russia is weeks away from collapse or that victory is perpetually just in reach. I just want an honest assessment based on what we know, so I always appreciate his take on things.
It’s interesting that he thinks this may just be a signal that we’re returning to a fragmentation of the command structure with regional commanders vying for attention. We did just see the replacement of Shoigu as Russian Defense Minister, so maybe that’s had something to do with it as the commanders are trying to make a good first impression with the incoming Defense Minister, though not sure the timing would match up in the case of Kharkiv.