The Counteroffensives That Changed the War: From Kharkiv to Robotyne

In a war often defined by artillery duels and static trench lines, Ukraine’s counteroffensives have stood out as rare moments of fluidity, audacity and strategic recalibration. From the stunning liberation of Kharkiv oblast in autumn 2022 to the grinding advance towards Robotyne in 2023, these operations demonstrated Ukraine’s capacity not only to defend but to seize the initiative, disrupt Russian planning and reframe international perceptions of the war’s trajectory.

While none achieved the total liberation of occupied territory, each counteroffensive shifted the tempo and nature of the conflict — politically, militarily and psychologically. These were not just battles for ground; they were contests for momentum, legitimacy, and the future of Ukraine’s sovereign space.

Kharkiv (September 2022): Shock and Speed

In early September 2022 Ukraine launched a lightning counteroffensive in Kharkiv oblast, liberating over 12,000 square kilometres in a matter of days. What made the Kharkiv operation remarkable was its combination of deception, mobility and Russian disarray.

While global attention remained fixed on the long-anticipated southern offensive near Kherson, Ukraine quietly amassed forces near the eastern front. The subsequent strike against Russia’s overstretched positions around Balakliia, Kupiansk and Izium caught Russian troops unprepared. Many units simply fled, abandoning equipment and positions.

The operation’s success was due to:

• Intelligence-led targeting and excellent operational security;

• The use of small, agile assault groups coordinated by real-time drone and satellite imagery;

• Russian command failures, especially in communication and logistics.

Kharkiv proved that the Russian army could be broken — not just resisted — and it transformed Ukrainian morale. It also shattered the myth of Russian battlefield supremacy, galvanising Western aid, particularly in terms of precision artillery, armour and air defence.

Kherson (October–November 2022): The Calculated Push

The Kherson counteroffensive, although slower and more attritional than Kharkiv, was no less strategically significant. By threatening Russian supply lines across the Dnipro River and targeting bridges and pontoon crossings with HIMARS and artillery, Ukraine rendered Russian positions west of the river untenable.

In November 2022 Russian forces withdrew from Kherson city, the only regional capital they had captured. Though this retreat was framed in Moscow as an “organised withdrawal”, it was widely seen as a major setback — the first time Russia lost significant urban territory since the invasion began.

The operation showed Ukraine’s growing competence in joint fires coordination and operational patience. It also provided a symbolic liberation — residents emerged waving Ukrainian flags, and the country celebrated a key milestone on the road to sovereignty.

Bakhmut Flank Offensives (May–June 2023): Holding and Harassing

Although Russia claimed to have captured Bakhmut after months of grinding assault spearheaded by Wagner forces, Ukraine’s operations on the flanks in the spring and summer of 2023 shifted the narrative once again. Units from Ukraine’s 3rd and 5th Assault Brigades conducted well-calibrated counterattacks, seizing high ground and cutting supply lines.

While these gains were tactical rather than strategic, they achieved several goals:

• They demonstrated Ukraine’s ability to reverse tactical losses even in heavily contested zones;

• They drew Russian resources into a bloody holding operation;

• They kept political and strategic pressure on the Kremlin, denying them a clean victory narrative.

The Bakhmut campaign illustrated the blurred boundary between defence and offence in modern war — a hybrid battlefield in which territory is not always the decisive metric.

Zaporizhzhia Axis (June–October 2023): The Assault on Robotyne

In summer 2023, Ukraine launched its long-awaited counteroffensive towards Melitopol and Berdiansk, aiming to sever the Russian land bridge to Crimea. The effort encountered well-prepared Russian defensive lines: extensive minefields, trench networks and layered artillery fire zones. Progress was slower than hoped, and international commentary began to sour.

Yet by late August, Ukrainian forces achieved a breakthrough near the village of Robotyne, piercing the first of three Russian defence lines. While not a strategic collapse, the breach signalled that with enough attrition and adaptation, Russian fortifications could be penetrated.

Key features of the Robotyne push included:

• Combined arms experimentation, often under fire, blending Western armour with infantry-led advances;

• De-mining innovations, including mechanised rollers and remote-controlled clearance;

• The critical use of small unit initiative under decentralised command.

Although Ukraine did not reach the Sea of Azov before winter, the operation forced Russia to redeploy elite units from other fronts, including Bakhmut and the Dnipro delta. Ukraine also inflicted substantial losses on Russia’s 58th Combined Arms Army.

Operational Legacy and Strategic Lessons

These counteroffensives have changed the war’s character in four enduring ways:

1. Psychological Impact: Each success demonstrated that Ukraine could do more than hold ground. It could reclaim it — and inflict defeats that damaged Russian morale and global prestige.

2. Strategic Rebalancing: After each push, Russia was forced to redistribute resources, abandon offensive ambitions in some sectors, and respond reactively — ceding initiative.

3. Western Confidence and Aid: Breakthroughs in Kharkiv and Kherson catalysed major arms deliveries — from Leopard tanks to F-16s. Donor countries became more willing to back a winning cause.

4. Evolution of Ukrainian Doctrine: With every campaign, the Ukrainian military became more flexible, decentralised, and experienced in NATO-style combined arms operations — laying groundwork for long-term transformation.

Conclusion: Tactical Gains, Strategic Shifts

Ukraine’s counteroffensives have rarely delivered knockout blows. However they have altered the momentum, exposed Russian vulnerabilities, and prolonged Ukraine’s strategic viability in a long war. From Kharkiv to Robotyne, they have prevented Russia from consolidating her gains, bought time for Western rearmament, and reasserted Ukraine’s claim not only to survival, but to sovereignty.

In a war of attrition, movement is meaning. And these movements, however modest kilometre by kilometre, have changed the shape of the war — and perhaps the map of Europe’s future.