Fox News: Ukraine counterattack ‘successfully’ in Kharkiv, possibly pushing to the Russian border

Russian forces are retreating from the northeastern Kharkiv region and they have notably destroyed several bridges to prevent a “successful Ukrainian counterattack,” said the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a research group Washington DC-based research said.

Military forces usually only destroy bridges if they have largely decided not to rush across the river to regain territory they have just withdrawn; therefore, Russian forces are unlikely to conduct operations to recapture the northeastern suburbs of Kharkiv that Ukrainian forces have liberated in the near future,” the ISW report said.

According to ISW, Ukraine’s military success in Kharkiv could force Russia to change its force strategy, preventing reinforcements in Kharkiv from helping in other areas.

However, these potential reinforcements may still not be enough for Russia to recapture the region, the ISW report added.

“At the current rate of Ukraine’s advance, Russian forces may not be able to prevent Ukrainian forces from approaching the Russian border, even with additional reinforcements,” the ISW report predicts.

The counter-offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region demonstrates the promising capabilities of Ukraine and may facilitate further offensive operations by these forces into Kharkiv province,” the report continued.

In the southeastern region of Ukraine, Russian troops have occupied Mariupol and may soon annex Kherson or declare the region independent from Ukraine, just like in Donetsk and Luhansk, according to the ISW report.

“Every indication is that Russian forces will either declare the Kherson People’s Republic or possibly control Kherson in the near future while strengthening their control measures in Mariupol. Russian forces are believed to be increasing their security presence in both Kherson and Mariupol,” according to ISW.