On Friday, the White House reported that the advancement of Russia’s offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region has come to a halt and is not expected to progress any further.
According to John Kirby, the national security spokesperson for the White House, the introduction of American weaponry has played a crucial role in altering the course of the conflict in the vicinity of Kharkiv. This region had come under intense attack from Russian forces in mid-May, before the arrival of the U.S. weapons.
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According to Kirby, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have successfully prevented Russian advancements, particularly in Kharkiv. He further explained that the Russians have encountered a roadblock in their attempt to advance on Kharkiv, as they were met with the first line of defense of the Ukrainian Armed Forces and were forced to either stop or retreat in some instances.
According to him, Ukraine continues to face immense pressure, and they are not complacent in any way. However, he did mention that there seems to be a lull in the situation. He revealed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and President Biden shared the same observation during their meeting in France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
During the meeting, Biden expressed his apologies for the delay of new U.S. military aid to Ukraine which had been ongoing for months. Both Washington and Kyiv had acknowledged that this delay had resulted in Russian advancements across the battlefield, including in Kharkiv and the eastern Donetsk region.
During his speech commemorating D-Day on Thursday, Biden emphasized the importance of defending democracy and freedom, drawing parallels between the fight against Nazi Germany during World War II and Russia’s current aggression towards Ukraine.
As Ukraine started to receive fresh military aid from the US, Russia launched an offensive in Kharkiv. Moscow sought to take advantage of the delay in receiving additional weapons and defenses, aiming to capture more territory before the aid arrived in full force.
There are concerns that Ukraine may be spread too thin as it attempts to defend against Russian forces advancing in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, in addition to the renewed push.
During the offensive in Kharkiv, Russia was successful in capturing some towns and advancing towards the city itself. However, the fighting is still ongoing north of the city, with significant battles taking place in and around Vovchansk.
