Ukrainian authorities deny reports of new Russian offensive in Kharkiv Oblast but do not rule out attacks on power system

Ukrainian Ground Forces and Kharkiv Oblast authorities have denied the likelihood of a major Russian offensive in the near future, as reported by The Telegraph.

Source: Volodymyr Fito, Head of the Public Relations Service of the Ground Forces Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in a comment to Liga.net news outlet; Suspilne, a Ukrainian public broadcaster, citing Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration

Details: The British newspaper The Telegraph, citing unnamed sources in Ukrainian intelligence, claimed that the Russian Armed Forces are supposedly planning a new "large-scale offensive" into Kharkiv Oblast in the coming weeks, or at least the Ukrainian army is preparing for it. The recent attacks on Kharkiv and the oblast are purportedly a harbinger of this, with more attacks possible over the coming weekends.

Fito labelled this as "nonsense". The military official said the journalists "distorted the whole thing" and there was "nothing new" in the story.

Fito said The Telegraph was referring to "some obscure military intelligence elements" and that the article was "not worthy of attention".

Oleh Syniehubov, Head of Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration, commenting on the article, noted that no clusters of Russian forces have been recorded in different frontline areas in Kharkiv Oblast.

Quote from Syniehubov: "We are not currently observing or recording any clusters (of troops – ed.). All the border lines – the situation has not changed, but we are monitoring everything online; our military is taking all the necessary measures to be ready for any scenario.

In order to speak about the enemy's plans for any offensive, they must amass units on one front or another. At present, there is no such cluster. There are no reasonable grounds to believe that the enemy will undertake any assault operations in this area in the near future. However, this situation can change at any moment."

Details: At the same time, Syniehubov added that Russia had not abandoned its plans to occupy Kharkiv Oblast.

"We understand that the enemy has never abandoned its intentions to recapture the territories it lost during the liberation of Kharkiv in the autumn of 2022 and to occupy the city. We must be prepared for this," said Syniehubov.

The official also explained that, based on intelligence information, Russia may further attack the critical and energy infrastructure of Kharkiv and the oblast.

Quote from Syniehubov: "The enemy had not used Iskander missiles for a long time, as they have been doing recently. They mostly used Shahed UAVs, and this was the case across Ukraine.

With the cold weather now, our intelligence reports that the enemy will attack our critical energy infrastructure. That's why we are holding a meeting of the Defence Council today, where we will consider the readiness of the invincibility centres and the coordination of all emergency services [invincibility centre is a heated premises stocked with food and power banks to assist residents facing hardships due to power cuts - ed.]."

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