According to the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russia likely intends to annex part or all of the Kharkiv region. This is indicated by the fact that the Russian-appointed occupying "authorities" of the region have declared that the Kharkiv region is "an integral part of the Russian land."
Such a statement was published by RIA Novosti on July 8 in the news about the symbols of the Kharkiv region appointed by the occupying "authorities". We are talking about the flag, which depicts a double-headed eagle and symbols of the coat of arms of Kharkov of the XVIII century.
“The coat of arms of the Kharkiv region is a golden double-headed eagle with a heraldic shield. The state in the left paw of an eagle is a symbol of the historical roots of the Kharkiv region, as an integral part of the Russian lands, ”the publication quotes the words of the occupying“ authorities ”of the region.
In addition, the Kremlin's intentions are indicated by the speed with which it created an occupation administration and introduced martial law in the Kharkiv region. The same with the unambiguous use of the rhetoric of imperial Russia, rather than images in support of the creation of a "people's republic". According to ISW, all this confirms that Russia pursues broader territorial goals than the capture of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions of Ukraine.