The British publication The Economist, citing military sources in Kyiv, suggests that Russia has decided to turn Kharkiv into a "gray zone" unsuitable for civilian population. This was stated by The Economist in an article titled "The Kremlin wants to make Ukraine's second city uninhabitable."
"The escalation has led military sources in Kyiv to suggest that Russia has decided to turn the city into a "gray zone" uninhabitable for civilians," the report says.
According to the publication, the escalation of the conflict has led military sources in Kyiv to suggest that Russia has decided to destroy the city to make it uninhabitable.
The mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, strongly rejects this hypothesis. In a secret interview conducted in an industrial quarter, he claims that Kharkiv has no intention of surrendering. Terekhov emphasizes that while the situation was difficult at the beginning of the conflict, when more than 2 million residents fled the city, only 300,000 remain. He denies the possibility of the city turning into a "gray zone," noting that many people have already returned after the situation stabilized.
At the same time, the mayor admits that providing the city with electricity without working power plants and transformers was a challenge, but they have successfully coped with it. However, he does not disclose the details of these measures, as they are confidential.
According to The Economist, many of Kharkiv's problems could have been solved if the West had provided the city with powerful air defense systems or military assistance. However, their position has been weakened by the destruction of some of the Western-supplied air defense equipment.
As for Russia's intentions, they remain uncertain at this stage. However, there are some indications that Russia is preparing for a major summer offensive. A Ukrainian source with knowledge of the intelligence reports that Russia is preparing six divisions for a possible offensive. Kharkiv is being considered as one of the possible directions for a future offensive, although it is not the most likely option.
