Drawdown.

This is coolbert:

“There’s an ongoing debate about the nature of the Russian drawdown, however it’s likely that in strict military terms, this was a withdrawal, ordered and sanctioned by the general staff, rather than an outright collapse.” 

The Ukrainian counter-offensive the Kharkov sector a resounding victory. Or a gain without a lot of consequence substance. You the devoted reader to the blog have to read between the lines.

"read between the lines: verb - to infer a meaning that is not stated explicitly"

1. "BATTLE FOR KHARKOV REGION: HAS NATO GAINED ADVANTAGE?"

From the Internet web site southfront.org and thanks to same. 9 September 2022.

Consider this web site to be unabashedly and unashamedly pro-Russian. To an extent but as to what extent rapeatedly making highly exaggerated claims the Ukraine Conflict. 

"The offensive operation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and NATO in the Kharkov region was planned by the US military command. About 200 units of heavy military vehicles and up to 9 thousand soldiers were involved in the offensive. Reportedly, every third soldier operating under the Ukrainian chevron was a citizen of a NATO member state. These forces were 4-5 times superior to the units of the DPR, LPR and Russia defending their positions in the region."

RUSSIAN MAIN FORCE [1 GTA] THE KHARKOV SECTOR HAVING BEEN WITHDRAWN JUST PRIOR TO THE UKRAINIAN COUNTER-OFFENSIVE IN A PLANNED MANNER. SKELETAL COVERING FORCE THE ONLY RUSSIAN UNITS IN THE AREA OVERWHELMED!

2. "The Kharkov Counterattack – No Big Success – No Large Defeat"

From www.floppingaces.net the article by Curt on 14 September, 2022.

"The ‘western’ media are euphoric about the ‘successful’ Ukrainian counterattack in Kharkov oblast."

Western media sources ecstatic almost beyond measure the Ukrainian counter-offensive the Kharkov sector.

Not so fast comrade!

"The main Russian forces had already left the area. What was left were sentry guards of the Luhansk People’s Republic and a few companies of the Russian National Guard which is more or less a police force."

You have the two extremes. One a tremendous Ukrainian victory undisputable. The other a less than impressive Ukrainian advance with Russian battlefield losses far less than claimed.

And the truth is somewhere in between?

coolbert.