The Russians do have a plan for the possible capture of two cities - Kharkiv and Sumy. But Ukrainian troops do not know how serious these plans are, according to Lieutenant General Oleksandr Pavliuk, commander of the Ukrainian Land Forces.
He says that according to Ukrainian intelligence services, the Russians had a plan to take Kharkiv or Sumy, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces were unsure of the seriousness of these plans and whether Russian troops could implement them with the forces available to them.
Pavliuk emphasizes that Russia's main goal remains the destruction of Ukraine as a nation. According to him, the Russians plan to capture not only the Donetsk and Luhansk regions but also the Zaporizhzhia region.
The Ukrainian Land Forces commander states that because the Ukrainian Armed Forces didn't let Russians take Kharkiv or Sumy in 2022, Ukrainians believe that Russian goals for this year are the complete occupation of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, and if successful, Zaporizhzhia region.
Background
In recent weeks, there have been reports that the Russian troops are allegedly preparing a new offensive on Kharkiv and Sumy. Ukraine emphasizes that even if the Russians have such plans, it is unlikely that they will be able to carry them out.
A representative of the Defense Intelligence of Ukraine, Vadym Skibitskyi, says that Russia was preparing an offensive against the Kharkiv and Sumy regions in late May or early June.
According to him, the Russian army does not have the strength to capture two large cities in eastern Ukraine.
