Russia Could Break Through Kharkiv ‘in One Fell Swoop’ - Estonia's Chief of the General Staff

Estonian Defense Forces’ Chief of the General Staff, Major General Enno Mõts, has stated that Russia could potentially achieve a breakthrough in Kharkiv “in one fell swoop,” but maintaining control would require a significantly larger troop presence, as reported by ERR.

Mõts described the Russian strategy in Ukraine as employing the “amoeba tactic,” where they use smaller forces dispersed across multiple areas, hoping to identify openings.

Recent reports indicate a surge in Russian attacks on Kharkiv, accompanied by Kremlin propaganda advocating for the city's destruction.

Expressing surprise at Kharkiv's resilience, given its proximity to the conflict zone, Mõts revealed that while Russia could launch missile and bombing attacks against the city, capturing it remains a challenge.

“Russia can break through the city itself in one fell swoop, but to keep it under control will require many more troops. And this is exactly what the Russians lack today,” he said.

According to Mõts, Russia currently has more troops in Ukraine than two years ago, but their training and command levels are low at company level and below.

“In recent weeks, they have attempted to coordinate company-level armored attacks, although these have been rather isolated instances,” he added.

The General Staff of Estonia believes Russia is attempting to expand the front line to force Ukraine into broader defense measures. Mõts described the Russian tactic as “amoeba tactics.”

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“As I said, they have no opportunity for a deep breakthrough, but they push everywhere, risking the lives of their soldiers and their equipment, hoping that an opportunity will suddenly appear,” Mõts said.

“This is their model of actions, which is characteristic not only on the battlefield but also, one might say, on a global scale,” he added.

A Kyiv Post special correspondent and film crew recently visited Kharkiv, a city transformed into a front-line battleground that has endured almost constant shelling since the war began.

Kharkiv's population, previously nearly 1.5 million, has halved due to the relentless attacks. Ukrainian forces reclaimed the city and border control in the summer of 2022, but the proximity to the border leaves it vulnerable to all forms of Russian weaponry, including guided aerial bombs as well as missiles, drones, and multi-barreled rocket launchers.

The Kyiv Post film crew managed to capture one of the almost daily strikes Kharkiv suffers, that took place about a kilometer away from where the journalists were stationed.

Ukraine’s Center for Combating Disinformation previously reported that the Russians, by inflicting devastating daily attacks on Kharkiv, are simultaneously intensifying its “propaganda of fear” campaign against the city's residents.

Kremlin sources have been spreading rumors that suggest the Kharkiv city government is preparing to surrender to Russian troops. Allegations include plans of city officials to flee, taking valuables, documents, and funds with them.

In an interview with the German newspaper Bild, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, did not rule out the possibility of a new large-scale attack by Russian troops on Kharkiv. According to Zelensky, at the onset of the full-scale invasion, Russian President Vladimir Putin targeted Kharkiv “because it holds significant symbolic value for him.”

Nevertheless, Zelensky was adamant that Ukraine was prepared to thwart Russia's attempts to seize the city of one million people, stating, “We are doing everything possible to prevent this from happening.”