The Russians are aiming to create a gray zone

In order to create a grey zone, the Russian military needs to make life difficult in Kharkiv by shelling. Retired NGU Major Oleksiy Hetman is convinced that the occupiers will not be able to move beyond the fortifications built in the region.

The armed forces of the Russian Federation want to turn Sumy and Kharkiv into a grey zone. According to Oleksiy Hetman, a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war and retired National Guard major, the enemy wants to stretch the Ukrainian defence line.

He said this on the air of Espresso TV channel.

He believes that the enemy may open another section of the frontline.

"They (Russians - Ed.) will open (the front - Ed.) near Sumy. They want to turn both the large city of Sumy and the large city of Kharkiv into a grey zone," said Oleksiy Hetman.

He emphasised that the Russian Armed Forces want to stretch the Ukrainian defence line very much. After all, the Sumy region is 560 kilometres of border with Russia. According to Hetman, the enemy may not have enough forces, because there are about 30,000 occupants concentrated there, who need to be stretched along the entire front line and to the Kharkiv region, which will eventually reach a thousand kilometres.

Instead, the Russian Armed Forces want to create a grey zone of large cities, that is, a "sanitary zone". This includes Sumy and Kharkiv, but first the enemy needs to make it as difficult as possible to stay in the city. According to Oleksiy Hetman, the Russians will do just that, shelling Kharkiv if they can get close enough.

Hetman noted that fortifications should be built inland closer to Kharkiv. If they are built correctly (first, second, third lines of defence), then the Russian military will not be able to move beyond this line.