Officials reported on Sunday that a significant number of civilians, numbering in the thousands, have been forced to flee the northeastern region of Ukraine due to Russia's recent ground offensive. This offensive, characterized by intense artillery and mortar fire, has specifically targeted various towns and villages.
At least one Ukrainian unit has been compelled to retreat in the Kharkiv region due to the intense battles, resulting in the surrender of more territory to Russian forces in less fortified settlements within the disputed "gray zone" along the Russian border.
By Sunday afternoon, the town of Vovchansk, which had a population of 17,000 before the war, became a focal point in the conflict. Volodymyr Tymoshenko, the head of the Kharkiv regional police, reported that Russian forces were on the outskirts of the town and advancing from three different directions. A Russian tank was seen on a major road leading to the town, indicating Moscow's readiness to deploy heavy weaponry.
An Associated Press team, stationed in a nearby village, witnessed smoke billowing from the town as Russian forces launched shells. Evacuation teams worked tirelessly throughout the day to move residents, many of whom were elderly, to safety.
Since Friday, when Moscow's forces initiated the operation, at least 4,000 civilians have fled the Kharkiv region, as stated by Governor Oleh Syniehubov in a social media post. Governor Syniehubov also mentioned that heavy fighting took place on Sunday along the northeast front line, with Russian forces attacking 27 settlements in the past 24 hours.
According to analysts, the Russian offensive aims to take advantage of the lack of ammunition before the promised Western supplies can arrive at the front line. Ukrainian soldiers have stated that the Kremlin is employing its typical tactic of launching a disproportionate number of fire and infantry assaults to wear down their troops and firepower.
By escalating the fighting in an area that was previously stagnant, Russian forces pose a threat of trapping Ukrainian forces in the northeast, while simultaneously engaging in intense battles further south where Moscow is making progress.
This development follows Russia's increased attacks in March, specifically targeting energy infrastructure and settlements. Analysts have predicted that these actions were a deliberate effort to create favorable conditions for an offensive.
In Belgorod, a 10-story apartment block collapsed near the border, injuring at least 19 people. Russian authorities attributed the collapse to Ukrainian shelling, while Ukraine has not yet responded to the incident.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of stopping Russia's offensive in the northeast, stating that Kyiv's troops were engaged in counteroffensive operations in seven villages near the Kharkiv region.
Zelenskyy stressed, "Our main objective now is to thwart the Russian offensive. The success of this mission relies on the efforts of every soldier, sergeant, and officer."
The Russian Defense Ministry announced on Saturday that five villages near the border of Ukraine's Kharkiv region and Russia had been seized by Moscow's forces. These areas were likely vulnerable to capture due to the ongoing intense fighting and frequent heavy bombardment, facilitating the Russian military's progress.
There has been no official confirmation from Ukraine's leadership regarding the reported territorial gains made by Moscow.
A Ukrainian military unit reported that they were compelled to withdraw from certain locations, with Russian troops reportedly taking control of at least one additional village late on Saturday. Tymoshko highlighted similarities between Russian tactics employed in Vovchansk and those previously observed in the battles for Bakhmut and Avdiivka in the Donetsk region, involving extensive aerial assaults combined with large-scale infantry offensives.
In a video released on Saturday evening, the Hostri Kartuzy unit, a component of Ukraine's national guard special forces, stated that they were engaged in combat to secure control over the village of Hlyboke.
During intense combat today, our defenders were compelled to retreat from several more positions, and another settlement has now fallen completely under Russian control. The fighters stated in a video that the ongoing battle for the village of Hlyboke persists as of 20:00.
According to the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War, it has been confirmed that Moscow has indeed captured Strilecha, Pylna, Pletenivka, and Borsivika. Additionally, geolocated footage suggests that Russian forces have taken control of Morokhovets and Oliinykove. The Institute described these recent gains by Russia as "tactically significant."
In the early stages of the war, Russia made an unsuccessful attempt to swiftly capture Kharkiv but eventually withdrew from its outskirts after approximately a month. However, seven months later in the fall of 2022, Ukraine's army successfully expelled Russian forces from Kharkiv through a bold counterattack. This display of resilience and strength convinced Western nations that Ukraine could overcome Russia on the battlefield, leading to increased military support.
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