The Russian military offensive in the Kharkiv region has been brought under control, with Ukrainian forces even beginning to launch limited counterattacks. Analysis of satellite images by “Image News” suggests that the Ukrainian military still holds multiple residential areas in the northern part of Volvychansk, and may have regained several streets in the southwest through counterattacks. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) in the United States claims that Ukrainian forces have pushed back towards Lyptivka, recapturing areas north of Lyptivka, although there are currently no confirmed changes in the frontline. The War Institute believes that due to the enactment of the US Aid to Ukraine Act, it forced the Russian military to launch the offensive prematurely, resulting in a lack of preparedness in terms of manpower and resources, leading to a lack of follow-up strength, rendering the operation ineffective.
However, it seems that the Russian military is still reinforcing troops in the Kharkiv region, attempting to continue a war of attrition here, which is a consistent tactic of the Russian military: severe personnel and equipment losses which are effective, with the Kremlin being indifferent to the losses.
As the situation in Kharkiv has now stabilized, Ukrainian President Zelensky has restarted his delayed trip to Europe and has subsequently visited Spain, Belgium, and Portugal. Achievements so far include signing 10-year bilateral security agreements with each of these three countries, securing $12.3 billion in military aid from Spain, $10 billion in military aid and 30 F-16 fighter jets from Belgium, and $1.36 billion in military aid from Portugal. Including military aid from the US and EU, the external assistance Ukraine has received recently should be enough to sustain them through the second half of this year.
According to reports, Western countries have promised to provide Ukraine with 85 F-16 fighter jets, with the Netherlands offering 24, Denmark offering 19, Norway offering 12, and an additional 10 as part of a parts supply, supplemented by Belgium’s commitment of 30 fighter jets.
Ukrainian ground personnel have completed training and returned home, while Ukrainian pilots have finished training in Arizona, USA, and have returned to Europe for further training. If all goes well, the first batch of 6 F-16 fighter jets is expected to arrive in Ukraine by the end of June.
Sweden will also provide a wave of significant military support to Ukraine, including ASC-890 early warning aircraft, PBV 302 tracked infantry fighting vehicles, 155mm artillery shells, and military tanker trucks for logistics support. The most notable of these is the ASC-890 early warning aircraft – the F-16 fighter jets provided by countries such as the Netherlands, Denmark, and Belgium have brought new air superiority capabilities to Ukraine, while the airborne early warning aircraft from Sweden will greatly enhance the overall air situation awareness capability of the Ukrainian Air Force.
Russia has deployed some long-range early warning radars in the south, prompting Ukrainian forces to start targeting these “eyes in the sky” of the Russian military in preparation for the arrival of the F-16s, allowing the F-16s of the Ukrainian side to fly more safely and covertly. Without these early warning radars, the Ukrainian F-16s can have a stronger element of surprise in countering Russian interception operations.