Kharkiv attack a sign of worse to come unless Ukraine and West move fast

Russia's limited advance into Ukraine's Kharkiv region this week capitalised on delays and shortcomings in several crucial fields that Kyiv and its western allies must remedy quickly to prevent Kremlin forces making bigger gains in the coming months. Moscow sent up to 10,000 troops over the border into the north of Kharkiv region on May 10th, and over the following days advanced as much as 10km in some areas and took control of about a dozen empty or sparsely inhabited villages. The main fighting is taking place in and around Vovchansk, a town about 5km from the frontier where Ukraine…