Russia wants to advance to create a "buffer zone" in Kharkiv region - isw
About it writes the Institute of War Study (ISW). The Institute notes that such calls were recorded despite the probable inability of the Russian army in the near future to conduct an operation to seize the territories of Kharkiv region. The Kremlin, including the Presidential President Dmitry Peskov, explained on Tuesday, January 9, the need for these fighting to do everything to "prevent Ukrainian fire from closed positions in the Belgorod region.
" Such a commentary of Putin's spokesman was immediately picked up by Russian propagandists, and ultra -nationalists of the Russian Federation recalled that they called for a similar operation in the summer of 2023 against the background of widespread dissatisfaction with the transboundary raids of pro -Ukrainian forces to Belgorod region.
"The Russian invasion of 15 kilometers depth and several hundred kilometers will be a large -scale operational measure that will require a much larger and much better resource for the grouping forces than the fact that the Russian forces have now concentrated along the entire international border with Ukraine, and first region, " - emphasizes the institute.
Earlier, ISW analysts noted that Russian troops could concentrate active efforts on the capture of Kupyansk in the near future and that in this direction the Russians have enough potential for offensive actions. Currently, experts state that the Russian army is only able to fight tactical actions directly from the Belgorod region. They consider it a cunning maneuver of the Russians to distract the Ukrainian forces from possible intervention in the Kupyansk direction.
Public opinion survey on the attitude of Ukrainians to the Ukrainian government and the military conducted by the Kiev International Institute of Social (KIIS) indicates that society mainly supports the Ukrainian military and their leadership: 96% of Ukrainians support the Armed Forces; 88% trust the commander -in -chief General Valery Zaluzhn; 66% - President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky.
Institute analysts emphasize that such results are quite obvious because of the tension characteristic of a society that leads an existential defense war. However, the KMIS survey shows that Russian information operations on the split between the political and military leadership of the country are far from reality and that the Russian offensive campaign in Ukraine is unlikely to break the support of the country's leaders and the will of Ukrainians to fight.
At the same time, the University of Chicago conducted an independent survey on public opinion in Russia, which showed that Russian President Vladimir Putin maintains strong internal support for his regime and war in Ukraine. Thus, 63% of the survey participants support the war in Ukraine, 67% approve Putin's foreign policy, and 58% of his domestic policy. And this is despite the relatively bad economic conditions and low standard of living in Russia.
In addition, according to the Institute of War Study, Russian ultrationists responded rigidly to gender integration into the Armed Forces. According to analysts, this indicates that in Russia there is a transition to a cultural and ideological worldview aimed at restoration of rigid and traditional gender roles and exposes the gaps between the opportunities of the Russian Federation and Ukraine to mobilize their societies.
In addition, such a negative reaction, according to ISW experts, reflects the inability of the Russians to realize how widely and deeply Ukrainian society has mobilized to protect against Russian invasion. We will remind, on January 5 the media wrote that the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation can start a new offensive near Kharkiv in mid -January.