"By the time you read this article, it will probably be out of date," writes war researcher Mike Martin in an essay in The Telegraph about the lightning speed of the Ukrainian Armed Forces counteroffensive. The last 72 hours will be studied by historians and the military because the Ukrainians managed to recapture more than 2,500 square kilometers of the occupied territories. Izyum and Kupyansk, the publication writes, are key cities without which the Russian Federation wonʼt be able to effectively provide its forces in the east of Ukraine. In a broader context, this means that the Russian military in Ukraine is disintegrating, and to the problems with people and logistics, the fear of the environment has been added. The situation looks like the Armed Forces of Ukraine divided the Russian forces. And at the moment it will be most difficult to achieve success in Crimea ― but as soon as the Kerch bridge is destroyed, the return of Crimea to Ukraine will be a matter of time, Martin is sure. For Putin, this will mean the end, but what awaits Russia, is full of questions. For example: who will replace Putin? Will the Russian Federation remain a single state? What will happen to Siberia, which China wants so much? What will be the fate of Russian nuclear weapons?
The Economist writes about HARM ― American air-to-surface missiles that help Ukraine effectively destroy Russian air defense radars. The publication writes that these missiles, in particular, play an important role in the successful counteroffensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kharkiv direction. HARMs continue the tactic of suppressing enemy air defenses pioneered by the US during the Vietnam War. Then individual planes destroyed air defense radars in front of a wave of attack aircraft flying behind them. These aircraft had radar receivers that identified the locations of enemy air defenses. Modern missiles weigh about 350 kg, have a range of 145 km, and can detect radar systems even when they are turned off. The appearance of HARM in Ukraine came as a surprise, the article says, because this weapon was considered incompatible with Soviet and Russian-made aircraft in the Ukrainian army. Probably, the Ukrainians managed to make adapters for mounting such missiles for MiG-29 and Su-27S aircraft. Evidence of this can be seen in the photographs allegedly taken in Ukraine, which are at the disposal of the magazine. Against the background of the successful use of HARM in Ukraine, the Pentagon recently approved additional deliveries, which will help Ukraine undermine the Russian air superiority that it has enjoyed until now.
The Washington Post writes that the White House is worried about the threat of interruptions in the energy supply to Europe. Putinʼs threats to stop the supply of gas and oil cause serious concern in the West, the publication writes. Recently, aides to President Biden have redoubled efforts to export natural gas to Europe. Increasing pressure from the Russian Federation creates additional threats to the unity of the US and the EU and may affect the results of the midterm elections to the US Parliament this fall. In recent weeks, the economic forecast for Europe has significantly worsened, the article says, and so far US officials believe that the risks of a recession in Europe are unlikely to have a strong impact on America. A serious challenge for the United States remains the possibility of stopping the supply of Russian oil: then gasoline prices may rise so much that the economy cannot withstand it. However, today officials do not believe that Putin will fulfill this threat.