Russia has launched a ground offensive in the Kharkiv area, and it has advanced about a kilometer, according to a high-ranking Ukrainian source.
Leonard Wilhelmus,
Roni Kuronen
15:06•Updated 15:42
Russia has launched a ground offensive in the northeastern part of the Kharkiv region.
– Around five in the morning, the enemy tried to break through our defense lines with the help of the protection provided by armored vehicles, the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine informs.
According to the Ministry of Defense, Ukraine has halted the progress of the attack, but the fighting continues fiercely.
According to a high-ranking Ukrainian military source, Russia has advanced about a kilometer in the area, Reuters news agency reports. According to the source, Russia aims to advance up to ten kilometers in the area to form a new buffer zone.
See on the map below, from which direction the Russian forces have attacked:
Russia occupied large areas in Kharkiv already once in 2022, but later that year, Ukrainian forces succeeded in evicting the Russian forces.
The Ukrainian authorities say they have begun to evacuate civilians from the city of Vovchansk on the way to the fighting that broke out on Friday.
Ukraine has sent more soldiers to the region to strengthen the defense.
Zelenskyi: Russia can send more troops
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi says Ukraine was preparing for a Russian invasion.
– The Ukrainian troops were against the Russians: with brigades and artillery, Zelenskyi said at the press conference.
According to Zelensky, Russia may send more troops to the region.
Russia carried out airstrikes on the city of Kharkiv last night. As a result of the attacks, apartment buildings in the city caught fire.
Watch the video below how rescuers extinguished fires in Kharkiv on Friday:
AFP, Reuters