Why is Ukraine building massive fortifications in Kharkiv?

New images have emerged of the massive defenses and fortifications being constructed in Kharkiv Oblast. Ukraine is preparing the region for a possible future assault that might see the crucial area fall back into Russian control. 

Ongoing efforts to build fortifications at hundreds of sites all across Kharkiv Oblast were recently inspected by the Head of Kharkiv’s Regional Civil-Military Administration—Oleh Sinegubov, who reported on the current progress. 

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Photo Credit: Telegram @synegubov

Sinegubov took to Telegram to inform the world work had begun on nearly one hundred objects following the clearing of several areas, a task that he reported had 500 workers and 200 machines working on around the clock. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @synegubov

In November 2023, President Volodymyr Zelensky urged the military to construct more fortifications in key sectors of eastern Ukraine following a tour of northeastern Ukraine’s military positions according to a report from Reuters. 

"In all major sectors where reinforcement is needed, there should be a boost and an acceleration in the construction of structures," Zelensky explained in a nightly address to the Ukrainian people at the time. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @synegubov

"This of course means the greatest attention to the Avdiivka, Maryinka, and other sectors in [the] Donetsk region,” Zelensky continued. “In Kharkiv region, this means the Kupiansk sector and the Kupiansk-Lyman line."

Photo Credit: Telegram @synegubov

Zelensky’s appeal to build more defenses appears to have led to a massive new project in the Kharkiv region based on what has been revealed by his Oleh Sinegubov, and the fortifications being constructed now look quite formidable. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @synegubov

“All schedules are agreed, reinforced concrete structures are supplied unhindered,” the report from Sinegubov explained. So what’s being built by Kyiv? Many of the very same fortifications and defenses Russia has been using. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @synegubov

Strong points that include complicated trench networks and reinforced fortifications can be seen in some of the pictures shared by Sinegubov. But the new defenses consist of dugouts, dragon’s teeth, and anti-tank ditches. 

The Ukrainian military news website Militaryni reported that construction of this second line of defensive fortifications in Kharkiv Oblast began at the beginning of March and is being built along the region’s border with Russia. 

Each strong point has both explosive and non-explosive barriers leading up to the area with the explosive sections being installed by the military when they begin manning the new defensive strong points.

Dragon’s teeth, concrete anti-tank pyramids, are being aligned in rows with barbed wire interspersed between them to protect against Russian armor and infantry. The dragon’s teeth are being spaced at 2-2.5 meter intervals (roughly 6-8 feet). 

Photo Credit: Telegram @synegubov

“Defense mechanisms like dragon's teeth work as anti-tank spikes that act as physical battlefield obstacles and require combat engineers to install and break through them,” explained Business Insider’s Ella Sherman. 

“The razor wire makes clearance more complicated,” Sherman continued. “By slowing the assault, it potentially leaves troops and vehicles exposed, possibly to indirect fire like artillery or small exploding drones.”

The tank ditches being built have both a depth and width of  2-2.5 meters (roughly 6-8 feet) as well.  Behind these fortifications are concrete firing positions, reinforced dugouts constructed of concrete, and open-air or protected trench lines. 

Militaryni reported that this new line of defense is technically a third line since the first line of defense is the frontline, where Ukrainian forces are currently being deployed to fend off a possible future attack from the Russian military. 

Photo Credit: Telegram @synegubov

Oleh Sinegubov noted that the workers constructing the new defensive line are doing so under extreme conditions, often under fire from Russia. However, the work is continuing twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week to complete the defenses. 

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The new defensive line is predicted to be finished within two months. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal previously told the media that Kharkiv was set to receive 3.9 billion hryvnia or roughly $136 million to build fortifications in the Region in 2024.