(Dan Tri) – The Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said that the possibility of Russia attacking Kharkov to gain control of this city cannot be ruled out.

A fire broke out near power lines on the outskirts of Kharkiv after an raid in March (Photo: Reuters).

Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi told Ukrinform news agency last weekend that Kiev forces could not ignore the scenario in which Russia threatened to launch an attack on the city of Kharkov and that Moscow was preparing for action.

`We cannot ignore any information about the enemy’s preparations for offensive operations, so we are taking all appropriate response measures to such a possibility,` Mr. Syrskyi said.

`We are carrying out a series of works to consolidate territories and positions, install a complex fence system and plan for the use of our troops in the event of enemy attacks.

Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, is famous as a center of science and culture.

Kharkiv city in northeastern Ukraine (Photo: US Department of Defense).

The city of Kharkiv, located in northeastern Ukraine, near the Russian border, has frequently faced missile and drone attacks throughout the war.

In 2022, Russia withdrew its troops from the Kharkiv region as Ukraine recaptured areas previously controlled by Russia.

Kharkov officials confirmed that Russia on March 27 first attacked the city of Kharkov with UMPB D-30, a new type of guided bomb.

Russia on March 22 launched the largest attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the past 25 months.

According to some experts, because Kharkiv is close to Russian territory, it is difficult for Ukraine to protect this area against overwhelming enemy firepower.

However, Mr. Syrskyi stated that Ukraine had experience in how to fight in Kharkov to cause `a large-scale collapse of the Russian front`.

He warned that `if Russian troops enter again, Kharkov will become their death zone`.

Director of Ukraine’s Military Intelligence Agency (HUR) Kyrylo Budanov said on March 31 that Russia is building a stockpile of Kalibr cruise missiles and may soon attack Ukraine with this weapon.

Throughout March, Russia increased its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

`In the near future, we will see Kalibr again because the number of Kh-101 has decreased significantly,` a Ukrainian intelligence official confirmed.

According to experts, Russia’s target is not only aimed at Ukraine’s energy system, but also a psychological blow to the people because electricity and heating systems are essential services.

In addition, Russia’s increased large-scale attacks also have the goal of exhausting Ukraine’s air defense system, in the context that Kiev is facing trickle aid packages from the West.