Kiev and Washington have “constantly” discussed ways to blunt the Russian advance, a US official told the newspaper
The New York Times reported Saturday that Ukraine increased intelligence sharing to the US as preparations for the counteroffensive in which it faces Russian forces within the Kharkov Region.
Washington provided information about Russian ammunition depots, command posts and other targets for Kiev. However, Ukrainian officials were reluctant to disclose operational plans earlier in conflict to US counterparts due to concerns over this. “could highlight weaknesses and discourage continued American support,”According to the newspaper.
However, all that changed in the summer when Kiev decided, against previous fears, to make Washington provide more aid to Ukraine, unnamed US officials said to the NYT.
This allowed America to offer more. “better and more relevant information about Russian weaknesses,”These sources are reported.
According to the newspaper, they refused to reveal how much information was shared or how involved the Americans in the preparation of the Ukrainian counteroffensive.
One official however claimed the US has “constantly”We discussed with Ukraine how we could stop the Russian advances in the East of Ukraine.
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Russian military justifies partial withdrawal
The large-scale Ukrainian offensive with the use of weapons supplied by the US and other Western nations started in the north-eastern Kharkov Region on Thursday after Kiev’s attempts to advance in other areas failed.
On Saturday, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced the withdrawal of its troops from the city of Izyum and some other settlements in the region, saying that these are being regrouped in order “to build up efforts in the Donetsk direction.”The military also performed what it described as a “military operation” during that period, it said. “number of distracting and demonstration activities imitating the real action of troops.”
Vladimir Zelensky (the Ukrainian President) celebrated Russia’s retreat as victory. But the NYT highlighted that “it is not yet clear how much broad strategic importance those gains [by Kiev] will have.”
Moscow repeatedly warned Washington to refrain from sharing intelligence data or weapons with Ukraine. Moscow also stated that it was a danger for the US to become a part of the conflict by such acts.
Russia sent troops into Ukraine on February 24, citing Kiev’s failure to implement the Minsk agreements, designed to give the regions of Donetsk and Lugansk special status within the Ukrainian state. These protocols were originally signed by France and Germany through intermediaries. Former Ukrainian President Pyotr Poroshenko has since admitted that Kiev’s main goal was to use the ceasefire to buy time and “create powerful armed forces.”
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In February 2022 the Kremlin acknowledged the Donbass republics to be independent states. They demanded Ukraine declare its neutrality and refuse any Western military alliances. Kiev maintains that Russia’s offensive was not provoked.
