Under constant fire: Ukraine prepares for a major offensive on Kharkov

Zelensky met with his cabinet on Monday to discuss measures to protect and support Kharkiv. Recent Russian attacks on the city have caused severe destruction there, including knocking out power supplies.

“We maintain our positions”
Leading military officials had previously discussed further measures to protect the city at a meeting of the Stawka, the army’s high command. “We are holding our positions, the most important thing now is efficient logistics,” Zelensky said, outlining the situation at the fronts.

In addition to military measures, diplomatic steps, such as the purchase of new air defense systems, were also discussed. “We are working with our partners to strengthen the air defense system to counter Russian plans for Kharkov,” the Ukrainian head of state said in his evening video address on Monday.

“We want to drive people out of the city”
The city is under constant Russian fire with cruise missiles and rockets. “The city is under heavy attack and it seems that the Russian terrorists are trying to drive people out of the city and are preparing an offensive,” Austrian honorary consul in Kharkiv Vsevolod Koschemyako said, describing the situation.

But people are not leaving Kharkiv and are eager to defend their city, says the Ukrainian agricultural entrepreneur, who has represented Austria in his region as an honorary consul since 2016. According to his estimates, around 500,000 of the 1.5 million inhabitants fled the metropolis after the Russian invasion at the end of February 2022, but around 250,000 people have now moved to the city from parts of the Kharkiv region hit hard by the war drawn. However, as far as he was informed, the few Austrians living in Kharkov had left the city within the past two years.

Koshemyako spoke of “many consequences” that are currently not only affecting infrastructure, but also affecting parts of the city that cannot possibly be linked to barracks or military production. Specifically, he mentioned two bombs that hit some residential buildings in the city center on Sunday. “Something like this actually happens every day,” he said, reporting problems with a permanent water and power supply.

The Russian army plans an encirclement
“It is quite difficult to destroy a city of one and a half million inhabitants and very difficult to conquer it,” Koshemyako said, referring to current discussions on this issue in Russian state propaganda. But he believes that Russian troops would now try to encircle Kharkov and force the country to give up. But he was convinced they would not be successful.

Austria must break economic ties
While Austria could help his city with medical equipment and devices, “the most important thing would be for Austria to stop cooperating with Russia, regardless of profitability,” he said. Moreover, the many Russians living in Austria must feel that they are also responsible for current events in Ukraine.

Koshemyako founded the volunteer battalion “Khartiya” in 2022 to defend his homeland. This has now been transformed into an official brigade of the Ukrainian National Guard with thousands of soldiers. He himself has a role outside this military unit and acts as an advisor to the commander of the National Guard, which is subordinate to the Ministry of the Interior. “I help my friends, brothers and sisters to further expand the brigade and organize everything properly,” he explained.