Kyiv: In the ongoing struggle to safeguard the northeastern Kharkiv region from Russian onslaughts, Ukrainian troops remain steadfast in controlling approximately 60% of Vovchansk, engaging in gritty house-to-house combat, as revealed by officials in their most comprehensive assessment of the battle thus far.
Securing Vovchansk would mark a pivotal advancement for Moscow since the initiation of a fresh front in the northern reaches of Kharkiv region earlier this month, further extending the strain on Kyiv’s forces amidst the third year of the full-scale invasion.
Deputy governor of Kharkiv region, Roman Semenukha, articulated on national television on Monday, “The enemy persists in attempting, particularly within Vovchansk, to dislodge the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the town.” He further emphasized, “Approximately 60% of the town remains under the control of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, indicating incessant assaults.”
Governor Oleh Syniehubov disclosed that the front line now delineates along the Vovcha river, slicing through the town. “Our soldiers are valiantly defending the town, engaging in a relentless battle, structure by structure, street by street,” Syniehubov affirmed. He added, “The adversary’s aspirations to swiftly seize the north of the region have been thwarted.”
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Expressing the gravity of the situation, Vovchansk’s police chief previously remarked that Russian forces had entrenched themselves within the town, characterizing the circumstances as “extremely challenging.”
The incursions by Russia in the Kharkiv region, particularly in the precincts of Vovchansk and Lyptsi, compelled Ukraine to dispatch reinforcements, further stretching its forces across the extensive 1,000-km frontline in the east and south.
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Ukraine’s General Staff reported earlier that its forces had successfully repelled Russian offensives near Starytsia, a village situated approximately 5 km from the border with Russia. Concurrently, some of Kyiv’s units focused on fortifying defensive positions in the area on Monday.
Semenukha disclosed that local authorities had orchestrated the evacuation of around 10,500 individuals from the border areas since May 10, coinciding with Russia’s onslaught on the Kharkiv region.
