‘The Tipping Point.’ Ukraine's Kharkiv Advance Signals a Deadlier War Ahead
YEREVAN – WEAPONS are the province of chemistry, ballistics and engineering; strategy is the domain of mathematics, economics and politics. But there is a reason warfare is considered an “art” and not a science by its greatest theorists.
The Ukrainian military has – once again – defied expectations about its limited resources and capabilities, by all accounts achieving a notable victory in the eastern province of Kharkiv – liberating more than 1,200 square miles of occupied territory in just days.
That’s an area the size of Yosemite National Park, and the swift advance of Ukrainian forces undid months of Russia’s territorial gains that cost thousands of lives on both sides.
Ukraine’s advance in Kharkiv is a tangible success that can’t be easily brushed off by Russian propagandists. It is a clear victory that meshes well with Kyiv’s immediate need to demonstrate progress against Russian forces – and bolster support from international allies. But the battles ahead on the southern front will be much more critical – and difficult – for Ukraine as it fights to liberate occupied territories and end the war.
As reports began to spread that the Ukrainian military was making sizable gains in Kharkiv province, I checked in with a government source and asked if he could update me on how things were going.
“Not bad,” was his laconic reply.
