It might be a “Schrödinger’s offensive”, where Russia pours in as many troops and takes as much land as needed for Ukraine to commit troops to defend it, and then merely hold their territory, stretching Ukrainian forces that have already taken ghastly losses (a diversion to stretch out Ukrainian troops that could actually take territory if the enemy doesn’t fall for the trap). It might be aimed at taking Kharkov as an “absolute goal”. Either case, it’s no good news for Zelensky, especially as Bakhmut is set to fall, Seversk is nearly encircled, Russian troops are storming Ugledar and advancing towards Kramatorsk, and converging on Orekhov, one of the last links before Zaporozhye.