Several dozen localities in the Kharkiv region, in northeastern Ukraine, ordered the evacuation of their inhabitants on Thursday in the face of the advance of the Russian army which, on the offensive, says ” improve one’s position “.
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The Russian army had been driven out of the city of Kupyansk and its surroundings, which it had occupied since the start of the invasion, by a Ukrainian lightning counter-attack in September 2022. For several weeks, it has been in this area that it has gone back on the offensive, regularly claiming territorial gains.
The Ukrainian army admitted this Thursday a situation “ difficult ” in this sector. “The situation remains difficult, but under control,” Serguii Tcherevaty, army spokesman for the eastern sector of the front, said on Telegram, using a common formulation used by Kiev during its opponent’s pushes. ” The Russians try to impose themselves and break through our defense “, he added.
” In the direction of Kupyansk, the assault units of the “Western” combat groups during offensive actions improved their positions in the front line of the front “, had previously indicated the Russian Ministry of Defense in its daily report.
37 localities evacuated
Faced with this progress, a decree signed by the local authorities ordered the evacuation of 37 localities in the Kupiansk district, an important communication node. These are mainly villages located near the front, on the left bank of the Oskil River.
The administration of Kupiansk, a city of about 25,000 inhabitants before the war, recommended in the morning that its inhabitants evacuate in the direction of Kharkiv, the regional capital, in particular, because of “ the difficult security situation and the increase in the number of bombardments “.
According to the regional governor, Oleg Sinegoubov, two inhabitants were injured during the night in the village of Kindrachivka, affected by the evacuation. Kupiansk was also hit twice, he said, posting a photo of a bomb-damaged administrative building, but no casualties.
(With AFP)