Russia is back attacking Ukraine's electrical grid with missiles and drones, taking advantage of a nationwide air defense system shortfall.
Kharkiv has been a special focus, causing rolling blackouts and raising the possibility that the Kremlin may soon strike Ukraine's second-largest city.
The city, which had 1.5 million people prewar, is 26 miles from the Russian border, and President Vladimir Putin hinted last month that he would create a “sanitary zone” around Kharkiv to prevent Ukrainian attacks on Russia.
A senior U.S. State Department official said the Ukrainians want air defense “of all kinds as soon as humanly possible”. Kyiv has made it “very clear that the Russians are clearly taking a much more aggressive posture towards Kharkiv right now,” the official said.
In an interview this week, Norwegian Chief of Defense Gen. Eirik Kristoffersen said air defense was important to safeguarding Kharkiv against missile assaults and ground attacks. "I don't see how the Russians can do it right now, but if Ukraine runs out of air defense systems, that would change the dynamics," he said.
One Ukrainian platoon sergeant worries about a Russian onslaught on Kharkiv.“We won’t let them take it,” said the outspoken sergeant, who goes by “Marine” and asked not to be named because he was not authorized to talk publicly.
Last week, Russian state media reported that Russian soldiers infiltrated Chasiv Yar's suburbs, and on Monday, the Defense Ministry stated its paratroopers attacked a Ukrainian stronghold outside the city. Ukraine conceded last Saturday that conditions were “difficult”.
Russia is already striving to advance, said Mykola Bielieskov, a research fellow at Ukraine's government-funded National Institute for Strategic Studies. “They are taking advantage of Ukraine's severe artillery and air defense shortages.”
Follow for more updates