Russian forces reportedly make progress in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

Ukraine announces Russian progress in Kharkiv area.

The east border region around Kharkiv city in northern Ukraine has been facing intense gunfire for several weeks now. Authorities in Kiev are now reinforcing their military presence there. Reports suggest that Russia is trying to make a breakthrough with tanks.

Ukrainian sources claim that the Russian army has launched a significant attack in the border area close to Kharkiv city early this morning. Russian ground forces, covered by armored vehicles, have been trying to break through the military lines, as per the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. The objective of these attacks was the Ukrainian city of Vovchansk, around 40 kilometers northeast of Kharkiv, lying near the frontier.

The information coming in is conflicting. As per the armed forces, these attacks have been thwarted until now and the battles are still occurring, but at varying degrees of intensity. As per a senior Ukrainian military official, Russian troops have advanced around one kilometer into Ukrainian land. Kharkiv region's governor, Ihor Synyehubov, updated the situation on Telegram: "The Ukrainian military is still holding their ground: There has been no inch of land lost." He also mentioned that he didn't see any threat to the million-populated city of Kharkiv itself. Independent authentication of such information is not feasible.

Speculation about a possible Russian offensive near Kharkiv has been circulating for weeks. Reports claim that Russian troops have amassed over thirty thousand soldiers in that area. The severity of the scenario is evidenced by the fact that Kiev's Ministry of Defense has now commented on it distinctly, rather than their usual General Staff. According to the ministry, certain reserve units have been relocated to this area to bolster the defense.

The very place in front of Vovchansk had been bombed from the air by Russian fighter jets the previous day, using glide bombs. Overnight, Russian artillery had shelled the most forward Ukrainian positions in anticipation of the attack. Russian military blogger Rybar described the fighting near Vovchansk: their initial target was to extend the combat area and assess the enemy positions during the battle.

Ukrainian civilians are being evacuated from Vovchansk and its vicinity, as mentioned in the Guardian. The commander of the local military administration, Tamaz Gambarashvili, spoke on Ukrainian radio Hromadske: "The majority of them are leaving using their own means of transportation. Together with the humanitarian center, we are organizing transport for those without vehicles."

Russia has been striving to take the Kharkiv border region since the start of its extensive 2022 invasion. In the fall of 2022, Russian troops were forced to withdraw from that area. However, as in all front lines, it is currently the Russian army that holds the advantage in this region since the Ukrainian counter-offensive failed during the summer of 2023.