It’s highly unlikely that Russia’s Defense Ministry was caught off guard by Kiev’s attempted Kharkov Region offensive as some armchair strategists pretend — ones with no firsthand knowledge of what’s unfolding on the ground or experience in planning, directing or other type involvement in military operations.
Analyst Larry Johnson does a superb job explaining things.
US-dominated NATO has been involved in training, orchestrating and directing Ukraine’s military operations since the Obama/Biden regime’s 2014 Maidan coup in Kiev.
The Pentagon’s current system follows what’s called the Joint Operation Planning and Execution System (JOPES), Johnson explained.
As a former CIA analyst, he was involved “in scripting and executing over 240 crisis response exercises.”
For “23 years, (he) worked for the man who wrote JOPES.”
So he knows how it works.
He’s certain that in planning Ukraine’s military operations, the JOPES process was followed.
It doesn’t develop overnight.
Johnson believes that planning for Kiev’s attempted Kherson and Kharkov offensives began 10 or more days in advance, perhaps as early as July.
It takes time to develop a battle plan, then deploy troops, weapons and equipment into position for launching it.
Johnson believes that Russian military planning follows a system similar to JOPES.
Around 72 hours earlier, its Defense Ministry began moving manpower, heavy weapons and equipment into position to counter Kiev’s Kharkov offensive.
Johnson believes that Russia knew at least a week in advance of a planned regime attack in the Kharkov Region.
So its military commanders began planning and developing what’s needed to counter it effectively.
If they moved forces into position too soon, the regime, Pentagon and CIA would have been forewarned.
Johnson and military analyst Andrei Martyanov believe that Russia’s Defense Ministry knew in advance what was planned and acted accordingly to counter it.
Russian military commanders let regime troops move unimpeded from “fortified defensive positions” to open spaces where they’re most vulnerable to large-scale Russian aerial, artillery, missile and rocket strikes.
At this time, the regime made it easier for Russian forces to hit their troops with devastating effectiveness.
“(P)lanning was deliberate, not a crisis response” to events on the ground, Johnson explained.
Martyanov quoted Chechen military commander, Apti Alaudinov, as follows, saying:
What’s going on by Russia “was planned” in advance.
It’s “a tactical ploy that helped us pull (regime) forces and means to the territory where it is convenient for us to fight them.”
And this analysis of things on the ground by Konstantin Sivkov, deputy head of Russia’s Academy of Artillery and Rocket Science, explaining the following:
“Our military knew that (a regime) offensive was being prepared.”
So Russian forces “are regrouping to destroy” AFU units deployed to the Kharkov Region.
“(T)here are no fortified areas there, so the task of destroying the most combat-ready Ukrainian units will be solved quite successfully.”
“This will take a few more days.”
Over the past 72 hours, Russian forces “destroyed more than 2,000 Ukrainian and foreign fighters, as well as over a hundred units of armored vehicles and artillery.”
Ukrainian troops “are suffering large daily losses.”
At this time, Russia’s “main task is to defeat (massed Ukrainian troops in Kharkov, destroy their exposed weapons and), equipment…in open spaces.”
The regime should be rendered unable to have “strength and means to conduct (an) effective defense.”
Martyanov believes that Russia killed or wounded from 15 – 20,000 Ukrainian troops in the Kherson Region — and around 6,000 so far in and around Kharkov.
These are devastating regime losses not mentioned in MSM propaganda reports.
At the same time, Russian manpower, weapons and equipment losses have been minimal by comparison.
Donbass freedom fighters are doing most front line fighting — heavily supported by Russian airpower, as well as high-precision missiles, rockets and long-range artillery positioned well to the rear of battlefield operations.
“Kharkov is shaping (up) to be a wowser. A bloody one” for regime troops, Martyanov stressed.
Ignore MSM rubbish.
Whenever reaching a new low, they find new ways to more greatly embarrass themselves.
A same-day article explains some of the latest managed news misinformation and disinformation trash.
The Stephen Lendman Blog 
Stephen,
I very much appreciate your honest reportage on what’s really transpiring in Ukraine.
An example of the “MSM rubbish” you mention is to be found on the news scrolls that run at the bottom of the screen on cable TV Newsmax Channel’s programs.
Yesterday, there were two that might be alarming to those watching – who believe in the necessity of Russia’s SMO.
One quoted a Ukrainian source, who asserted that Putin was a “gone goose” – due to the successful pushback by their army in Kharkiv.
Another stated that Putin faced a revolt in the Russian parliament over the debacle.
Greta Van Susteren, a washed-up, past-her-prime news reader – who previously had a show on Fox when Roger Ailes ran it – and was recently given a daily show on Newsmax, was recently awarded the “Order of Merit” by Zelensky – the channel was proud to announce.
She is one of the most misinformed and vicious anti-Putin rabbler-rousers on cable TV.
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