Russia amasses troops for offensive on Kupyansk
Russia is amassing considerable amount of troops around Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, said Andriy Kovalenko, head of Counter Disinformation Center of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, in a Telegram post.
Forbes recently reported that Russia is allegedly moving 500 tanks, up to 600 combat vehicles, hundreds of howitzers, and deploying around 40,000 troops towards Kupiansk. The publication suggested that capturing Kupyansk is a primary objective for Russian forces.
However, Kovalenko said that the statistics presented by Forbes do not fully align with the actual situation on the ground.
"The West needs to understand the severity of the situation, especially those who make decisions about assistance. And preferably, they should also keep in mind American interests," added Kovalenko.
He emphasized that it is unrealistic to assume all problems will be resolved by December 2024, particularly if Ukraine finds itself in a more vulnerable position.
"On the contrary, that would require providing even more weapons swiftly, because Putin will never agree to conditions. His goal is the destruction of Ukraine. And the only way to compel him towards any kind of agreement is by force, not by showing weakness," noted the chief of the Counter Disinformation Center.
Previously, Ukrainian Maj. Gen. Dmytro Marchenko assessed that Russian forces could attempt another offensive on the Ukrainian capital and called for preparation for its defense. Military analysts believe the likelihood of such a scenario in the near future is minimal, while political analysts view this as a cue for the need to bolster mobilization efforts.
On February 2, it was reported that Russian forces failed to capture the village of Tabaivka in the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian troops continue to hold their positions against a 40,000-strong army assembled for the offensive on Kupyansk.