The Russians launched a land offensive in the northeast of the Kharkiv region. The occupiers have already advanced one kilometer near the border town of Vovchansk, trying to create a buffer zone.
A "high-ranking Ukrainian military source" informed the Reuters news agency about this on condition of anonymity.
According to the source, Russian troops aim to push the Ukrainian armed forces 10 kilometers deep into Ukraine. Ukrainian troops are trying to restrain the invaders.
The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine reported that today around five oʼclock in the morning, Russian troops under the cover of armored vehicles tried to break through the defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the Kharkiv region. The first attacks were repulsed, the fighting continues.
It is noted that during this day the Russians hit the Vovchansk direction with guided aerial bombs, and at night the occupiers intensified their artillery attacks on the front edge of the defense.
In addition, the Regional Military Administration reported on unsuccessful attempts by sabotage groups to break through the state border.
People are being evacuated from Vovchansk and surrounding settlements in the Kharkiv region. The authorities, the police and volunteers jointly help people to leave, the head of the Vovchanska City Military Administration Tamaz Gambarashvili told Hromadske radio.
Analytical project DeepState, which recently cooperated with the Ministry of Defense, wrote that the enemy is trying to enter and gain a foothold along the border, in particular, in the villages of Strilecha, Krasne, Pylna, and Borysivka. There are also attempts to enter the settlements of Hatyshche and Pletenivka.
The main forces of the enemy at the moment are infantry supported by artillery and aviation. Armored vehicles are available in small quantities. The first photos of the destroyed equipment of the Russians and the dead occupiers began to appear on social networks.
The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky also confirmed that Russian troops have launched a new offensive in the Kharkiv region.
"Ukraine met them there with our troops, brigades and artillery. It is important that they can increase and raise more forces in this direction, but our military, our command knew about this and calculated their forces in order to meet the enemy with fire," said the president at a briefing in Kyiv with the leader of Slovakia Zuzana Chaputova.
- At the beginning of April, the Financial Times, citing Ukrainian and Western officials, wrote that the Russian offensive could begin in four directions, including Kharkiv.
- The head of GUR Kyrylo Budanov stated that the Russian troops could go on a new offensive already at the end of May this year. According to his forecast, they will try to completely seize Luhansk and Donetsk regions.
- On May 3, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine is facing a new stage of the war with Russia. He noted that the occupier is preparing for attempts to expand offensive actions.