14 September 2022, Wednesday, 16:02 562

Russia Admits Defeat In Kharkiv Region - ISW

Редактор: Tetiana Herasimova

The Kremlin has recognized the defeat of the Russian Armed Forces in Kharkiv region.

This is stated in the Russian offensive campaign assessment of the Institute for the Study of War as of September 13, Ukrainian News Agency reports.

It is noted that for the first time since the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia openly admitted defeat.

“The Kremlin acknowledged its defeat in Kharkiv Oblast, the first time Moscow has openly recognized a defeat since the start of the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Kremlin officials and state media propagandists are extensively discussing the reasons for the Russian defeat in Kharkiv Oblast,” analysts say.

They stressed that the Kremlin had never previously recognized defeats - neither near Kyiv, nor subsequently at Snake Island.

"The Kremlin never admitted that Russia was defeated around Kyiv or, later, at Snake Island, framing the retreat from Kyiv as a decision to prioritize the “liberation” of Donbas and the withdrawal from Snake Island as a “gesture of goodwill," the experts noted.

The Institute for the Study of War adds that the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation wanted to cheat again and present the failure in Kharkiv region as a withdrawal of troops for regrouping, but this version immediately came across a flurry of criticism on the Internet.

The ISW says that the Kremlin's recognition of the defeat is part of an effort to soften and divert criticism for such a crushing failure from Russian President Vladimir Putin to the Russian Ministry of Defense and military command.

“The Kremlin’s acknowledgment of the defeat is part of an effort to mitigate and deflect criticism for such a devastating failure away from Russian President Vladimir Putin and onto the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) and the uniformed military command. Kremlin sources are now working to clear Putin of any responsibility for the defeat, instead blaming the loss of almost all of occupied Kharkiv Oblast on underinformed military advisors within Putin’s circle,” the report said.

As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, since the beginning of September, the Armed Forces of Ukraine have liberated more than 6,000 square kilometers of territory in the east and south.

During the counteroffensive in Kharkiv region, the Ukrainian military liberated more than 300 settlements from the invaders.

Больше новостей о: Kharkiv region ISW Institute for the Study of War liberation of Kharkiv region counteroffensive of AFU in Kharkiv region deoccupation of Kharkiv region