Zelenskyy decorating troops at the Kharkiv front
In May, Russia launched a ground offensive in the Kharkiv region. Since then, intense fighting has been ongoing. President Zelensky has now visited the area to assess the situation. In the south of Ukraine, Russian troops have detained dozens of people.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reportedly awarded soldiers for their bravery during a frontline visit in the eastern region of Kharkiv. "Today, I had the honor of congratulating our special forces fighters," he wrote on online platforms. "I am grateful for their courage and heroic actions behind enemy lines," he added.
Zelensky described the front in Kharkiv as "one of the most difficult" and told the special forces members: "The whole country is counting on you." The president also visited the town of Derhachi, located just north of Kharkiv, where he was shown 18 rebuilt houses and newly established shelters. The town has been repeatedly shelled since Russia's invasion in February 2022.
The Ukrainian military reported that it had fended off six Russian attacks along the Kharkiv frontline over the past day, including near the city of Vovchansk. The city of Kharkiv, the second-largest in Ukraine, and the surrounding region have been targeted by Russian forces since the start of the invasion. Russia launched a ground offensive in the region on May 10 and has since claimed several territorial gains along the nearly 1,000-kilometer frontline.
Arbitrary Arrests in Occupied Territories
Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that its forces had captured another village in eastern Ukraine. The village of Wowtsche in the Donetsk region was "liberated," it said. Wowtsche is located about 16 kilometers northwest of the city of Avdiivka, which Russia captured in February.
In the south of Ukraine, Russian troops have detained 25 people accused of supporting Kyiv. The arrests took place in the Russian-occupied regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, according to the Russian National Guard. Four of the detainees are accused of espionage, while eight others are accused of treason. Numerous others are accused of calling for "terrorist activities" online, while others are members of banned organizations. In March, the United Nations reported that Russia was arbitrarily detaining people in occupied areas and creating a "climate of fear."
The Ministry of Defense in Moscow stated that Russian air defense systems had intercepted 39 drones launched by Ukraine overnight. Most of the drones were destroyed over border regions, while three others were neutralized in the Leningrad region in the northwest. The ministry described the incident as a "terrorist attack." Ukraine often targets Russia's energy infrastructure and fuel depots, which are also used by the Russian military. Fuel depots, refineries, and energy facilities are commonly found in border regions. Russia has also heavily targeted Ukrainian power plants, leading to frequent power outages in recent months.
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