On Sunday, Ukrainian troops confirmed that Russian forces were engaged in a battle on the outskirts of Vovchansk, a town in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region.
The Russian military entered the Kharkiv region on Friday, expanding the conflict that has been ongoing in the south and east of Ukraine for the past 27 months. Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, is located approximately 30 km (18 miles) from the Russian border.
According to soldiers returning from the area, the fighting has reached the edges of Vovchansk, which is only 4 km from the border and 45 km from Kharkiv city. They described assisting Ukrainian troops in breaking out of the encirclement by Russian forces. Despite facing an attack on the town’s outskirts, the Ukrainian soldier stated that they were fighting back and would continue to defend every meter.
The Ukrainian General Staff released a report during the early hours, acknowledging that Russian forces had achieved “tactical success” in the area, with 14 out of 22 attempted advances still ongoing. The report stated that heavy fighting was taking place around Vovchansk, as Russian forces had deployed significant resources for their attack. However, the Russian troops seemed to disregard their own losses, with a minimum of 100 reported dead.
The Russian military claimed to have gained control over nine border villages in the Kharkiv region. However, Kyiv asserted that they were repelling the attacks and struggling to regain control over the settlements. Russian media outlets, including Mash and Readovka, reported that Moscow’s troops had entered Vovchansk.
According to Ukrainian military spokesperson Nazar Voloshyn, the main targets of Russia’s attack were Vovchansk and the town of Lyptsi, which is approximately 7.5 km from the border and 20 km (12 miles) from Kharkiv city. The situation remains tense as the conflict intensifies in the northeastern region of Ukraine.
Tamaz Gambarashvili, the leader of Vovchansk’s military administration, informed Reuters that the town remains under Ukrainian control as Ukrainian soldiers repelled small groups of Russians. He mentioned that Russian drones were consistently flying above Vovchansk.
Governor Oleh Synehubov of Kharkiv region stated that Russian forces were escalating their attacks on Vovchansk. He reported that almost 6,000 residents had been evacuated from the area.
VOLUNTEERS PREPARE RESIDENTS FOR EVACUATION
Volunteers wearing protective gear hurried through the village neighborhoods, urging residents in damaged houses to gather a few belongings and head to evacuation centers.
One of the evacuees, Kostiantyn Tymchenko, described the ongoing fighting just 500 meters away from his home, with Russian troops stationed across the Vovcha River. “Ukrainian tanks come in, fire, and then retreat. There is constant shouting from the other side,” he shared with Reuters.
Despite the ongoing explosions in the vicinity, a few elderly residents hesitated to evacuate. Some were slow in getting ready, despite being encouraged by volunteers.
One individual was taken to an evacuation center with fingers torn off, a situation medics attributed to Russian forces shooting him as he was leaving his home. While receiving medical attention for his injuries, the man questioned, “What have I done to deserve this?”
In his nightly video message, Zelenskiy mentioned that a series of defensive battles had spread across several villages in the Kharkiv region.
He also noted that the fighting was equally intense in the Donetsk region.
Ukraine finds itself in a defensive position following months of delayed U.S. munition supplies. Russia’s forces have a significant advantage in terms of manpower and ammunition.
In 2022, shortly after the commencement of their full-scale invasion, Russian forces advanced to the outskirts of Kharkiv before being pushed back to the border.
Kyiv blames the U.S. Congress for months of delays in approving the aid package, which they believe has had a negative impact on the battlefield. They are now hoping that the approved assistance will arrive promptly to strengthen their defense efforts.
Across the border in the Belgorod region, a section of a Russian apartment building collapsed, resulting in the deaths of at least 13 individuals. Russian officials stated that the collapse was caused by a missile launched by Ukraine and intercepted by Russia.
