Russians planned to partially encircle Kharkiv – The Economist

The Economist has reported, citing "retrieved military plans," that the Russians planned to partially encircle Kharkiv and advance east of the Pechenihy reservoir.

Source: The Economist

Details: According to the media outlet, the operation was apparently scheduled for 15-16 May, but was postponed for almost a week for unknown reasons.

The Russians were said to have "identified two axes" of attack on both sides of the reservoir. The offensive on the western front was to have brought Russian troops within artillery range of Kharkiv, near the village of Borshchova.

However, they were stopped by Ukraine’s 92nd Brigade, which pushed them back 10 km from their original goal.

The Economist also says that the Russian plan on the Vovchansk front was to break through to the town of Pechenihy.

Quote: "The Russians initially made quick work of this operation, sweeping through an area that should have been prepared with minefields and serious engineering fortifications but wasn’t."

Details: Denys Yaroslavskyi, commander of the Ukrainian Armed Forces intelligence unit, told reporters that the Russians "were just simply allowed to walk through".

Quote from the commander: "We were watching them cut through the border fence on screens at about 23:00 on 9 May, and I said to my men to watch how they would blow themselves up on mines. There were no explosions; they simply carried on."

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