Russia has intensified its attacks on Kharkiv and is conducting an information operation to destroy the city, cause panic and convince millions of Ukrainians to flee the city before the enemy army's likely offensive, analysts have assessed the enemy's tactics and offensive capabilities.
This is stated in the analysis from the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).
The analysts note that Russia is conducting a coordinated information operation and air attacks on Kharkiv in order to destroy the city: "..to destroy Kharkiv City, convince Ukrainians to flee, and internally displace millions of Ukrainians ahead of a possible future Russian offensive operation."
ISW experts note that the Kremlin's mouthpieces want to use concerns about a future offensive against Kharkiv to conduct a coordinated information operation and cause panic among the population.
Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War recall a Russian milblogger pointing out that the strikes on Kharkiv on April 22 showed that Ukrainian civilians should leave Kharkiv "while they still can."
It adds that Ukrainian officials have previously discussed the possibility that the enemy army could launch a ground operation against Kharkiv as early as the summer, but ISW experts continue to believe that if Ukrainian forces are adequately supplied with weapons - here ISW mentions military aid from the United States - the enemy will not have the forces necessary to capture the city.
"ISW assesses that the likelihood of a successful Russian ground offensive against Kharkiv is very low if Ukraine receives renewed US military aid rapidly," ISW adds.
Earlier, Apostrophe reported that Russian invaders hit the television infrastructure facility in Kharkiv.