Ukraine prepares for 'heavy fighting'. Can it stop the Russian army's advance?

(Patria) - Russian forces are expanding attacks on Ukrainian border settlements near the northeastern city of Kharkiv, opening a new front in the war, writes VOA.

The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Oleksandr Syrskyi, warned on Friday of "heavy fighting" on that front and that the "enemy" is preparing for it.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said during a visit to China that Russia is establishing a "buffer zone" in northeastern Ukraine to, as he stated, protect its border areas from Ukrainian attacks, reports Reuters.

Mobile units of the Russian army are trying to capture Ukrainian villages 30 kilometers north of the city of Kharkiv.

Ukraine is firing missiles from the border area into Russian territory. Moscow claims that seven people were killed in an attack on a residential building in Belgorod on Sunday.

- There are several reasons why Russia might try to do something in that area. Obviously, to establish a buffer zone, but also to test defenses and determine what is happening there.

However, given the way they are positioned and the number of soldiers they have - perhaps 30 to 40 thousand with not too much equipment - and who are attacking in small infantry groups, it does not really suggest that they are trying to encircle Kharkiv or anything like that - assesses analyst Patrick Barry, an analyst at the University of Bath.

Putin said on Friday that Russian forces do not currently plan to capture Kharkiv.

The Ukrainian president visited Kharkiv on Thursday, after canceling all foreign trips. Kyiv says that with defensive moves, it has managed to slow down the advance of Russian forces.

- Russia currently has at least five to six times more ammunition - Barry believes.

Ukrainian forces are still waiting for most of the weapons from the $60 billion US aid package, which was finally approved last month after a six-month delay.

- American aid is crucial, so the pause in weapons delivery has unfortunately had a significant impact on the situation on the front, which we are now seeing - emphasizes Serhii Rahmanin, a member of the Ukrainian parliamentary committee on national security.

Ukraine says that Russian fighter jets and missiles can attack Ukrainian positions before the infantry arrives. Kyiv has repeatedly requested additional air defense systems. Last month, a mobilization law was passed to address the problem of insufficient troop numbers.

- The next three months will be the most important for Ukraine. The Russians currently have a chance. The strength of the Ukrainian armed forces has decreased, and the Russians feel it.

They have accumulated significant resources - weapons, ammunition, manpower, and now they are trying to make the most of their reserves. They are trying to exhaust our forces along the entire front - warns Rahmanin.

The question now is whether Ukraine and its Western allies can turn the tide of the war.

- The chances of regaining significant territory in the medium term seem to be decreasing. Unless there is a major change in Western support - significant resources and a long-term strategy on what constitutes success.

None of that is expected at this time, which is why I think Ukraine should remain in a defensive position and hold what it has - Barry opines.

Analysts assess that Russia has renewed its military strength in the past six months with the help of China, Iran, and North Korea, which complicates any future Ukrainian offensive.