US embargo to strike on territory of russia seriously undermines Kyiv's ability to defend itself - ISW

Analysts of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believe that the US ban on striking russian territory with Western weapons seriously undermines Ukraine's ability to defend itself against russian offensive operations in the north of the Kharkiv Region.

This is stated in the text of the daily analytical note from researchers of the situation of the war between russia and Ukraine from the Washington Institute.

ISW military analysts continue to assess that the US and other Western countries' restrictions on Ukraine's ability to strike military targets in russia have created shelters in russia's border areas from where russian aircraft can launch planned bomb and missile strikes on Ukrainian positions and populated areas.

In addition, russian forces and equipment can freely gather before going into battle.

US representatives have again confirmed the reluctance of the White House to use US-provided weapons to strike military targets in russia.

The Department of Defense’s spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said on May 16 that the Biden administration has not changed its position on Ukrainian forces using American weapons to strike targets in russia, and that the administration believes those weapons should be used to liberate occupied Ukrainian territory.

ISW Key Findings for May 17:

- Russian president vladimir putin called russian offensive operations in the north of the Kharkiv Region part of russian efforts to create a "buffer zone" to protect border areas from Ukrainian strikes, confirming ISW's previous assessments.

- President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainian forces have stabilized the front in the north of the Kharkiv Region and that russian troops have not reached the "concrete" and "most powerful" line of defense of Ukraine in this area.

- Russian troops will probably be able to stretch Ukrainian troops on a wide front and gain a foothold in the area of the international border, even if the pace of russian offensive operations in the north of the Kharkiv Region slows down.

- Russian forces reportedly used significant electronic warfare (EW) capabilities to support tactically important gains in the early days of their limited offensive operation in the north of the Kharkiv Region.

- NATO's higher military command confirmed the Institute's preliminary assessments that russian troops do not have sufficient forces to achieve a "strategic breakthrough" in Ukraine.

- On the night of May 16-17, Ukrainian troops carried out a series of large-scale strikes from the air and sea drones against russian energy and port infrastructure facilities in the Krasnodar Krai and occupied Crimea.

- US officials confirmed the reluctance of the White House to support Ukraine's use of US-provided weapons for strikes on military facilities in russia.

- Russian president vladimir putin tried to continue the well-known russian information operations aimed at directly undermining the legitimacy of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

- Recently, russian troops made a small advance near Avdiyivka.

- Russian president vladimir putin took part in the annual russian-Chinese exhibition and forum on interregional cooperation, and also visited Harbin Polytechnic University during the second and last day of his visit to the People's Republic of China (PRC) on May 17.

- Ukrainian and Western sources continue to report that russian troops are committing war crimes in the recently occupied districts of the Kharkiv Region.