The situation is serious. By threatening Ukraine's second most populous city, Russia hopes to pin Ukrainian resources in the region, exposing the front elsewhere. Ukrainian forces are already stretched relatively thin; by drawing Ukraine's reserves and better units to the defense of Kharkiv, the Russian attack weakens other parts of the front line.
Russia's aim is not to take Kharkiv, but to menace it by advancing toward the city and threatening it with artillery. In recent days, some Ukrainian units have already been redeployed from Donetsk to Kharkiv, and it appears that Ukraine is deploying individual battalions to reinforce other parts of the front.
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