Ukraine recognized on Monday “tactical successes” of the Russian army in the Kharkiv region, in the northeast of the country, while 4,000 people have already been evacuated from these border areas. Russia, which carried out a surprise reshuffle on Sunday evening with the dismissal of Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, for its part claimed to have neutralized Ukrainian drones on its territory.
Information to remember
⇒ Russia advances in the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv
⇒ Moscow says it has neutralized 31 Ukrainian drones
⇒ Putin replaced his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu
Russia advances in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region
The Ukrainian army recognized on Monday “tactical successes” of Russia in the Kharkiv region (north-east), where Moscow claimed on Sunday the capture of four additional localities near the border in its offensive launched on Friday, which resulted in the evacuation of thousands of civilians.
In a statement on Facebook, the Ukrainian general staff added that “fighting continues in the border town of Vovchansk”, which had some 3,000 inhabitants before the current offensive and where Moscow has mobilized “up to five battalions “, according to kyiv.
Moscow says it has neutralized 31 Ukrainian drones
Russia claimed Monday to have neutralized 31 Ukrainian drones overnight in several regions of the country and in Crimea. “During the night, new attempts by the Kiev regime to carry out terrorist attacks using aerial drones (…) against targets on the territory of the Russian Federation were prevented,” the Russian ministry said of Defense in a press release on Telegram. Russian anti-aircraft defense notably destroyed 12 drones above the Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine and already targeted on Sunday by a Ukrainian strike which left 15 dead, according to the same source.
Eight other drones were destroyed over the Kursk region, which also borders Ukraine, and four drones were intercepted over the neighboring Lipetsk region, the press release detailed. Finally, seven drones, as well as four Storm Shadow cruise missiles were destroyed above the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014.
Ukraine, faced with the Russian offensive for two years, has increased its attacks against Russia in recent months, particularly targeting energy sites. kyiv had promised to bring the fighting to Russian soil in retaliation for the numerous bombings on its territory.
Putin replaced his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu
Russian President Vladimir Putin carried out a surprise reshuffle on Sunday evening and dismissed his emblematic Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, after two years of conflict in Ukraine without a clear outcome.
“Today, on the battlefield, the one who wins is the one who is the most open to innovation,” justified Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov. Andreï Beloussov, his replacement, has training as an economist and no military background.
The head of Ukrainian diplomacy on his first visit to Serbia
The head of Ukrainian diplomacy Dmytro Kouleba, on his first visit to Serbia since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, will meet Prime Minister Milos Vucevic in Belgrade on Monday, the head of government’s office announced. This visit comes around ten days after the formation of the new Serbian government, after the December elections.
A Balkan country which is negotiating its accession to the European Union, Serbia has been walking on a particularly narrow ridge between East and West since the invasion of Ukraine.