National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said the White House had assessed the latter was a possibility."It is certainly possible that the Russians are setting themselves up for a larger assault on Kharkiv," Kirby said, citing signs that Russia appears to be preparing to use long-range fire within the range of the city.Kirby also said that Russia may achieve some advances in the coming weeks, but breakthroughs are unlikely as the influx of U.S. assistance will help Ukraine withstand the attacks, AFP reported. Washington "is working around the clock" to provide Ukraine with defense supplies, Kirby added.Over the past day, 1,775 civilians in Kharkiv Oblast have been evacuated from their homes amid renewed Russian attacks on the region, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on May 11.Russian forces failed to take Kharkiv in the first weeks of the full-scale invasion despite the fact that the city lies less than 30 kilometers from the Russian border.Russia "would need years" to occupy Kharkiv, Oleksandr Pivnenko, the commander of Ukraine's National Guard, said amid the looming threat of renewed attack.