Ukraine’s armed forces currently control around 70% of the embattled city of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, according to a military spokesman. Street fighting rages on as Russia unsuccessfully attempts to advance with small groups to gain a foothold.
Russian forces launched a new offensive on 10 May by crossing into Ukraine’s northern Kharkiv Oblast and attempted to penetrate defenses near Vovchansk and further west of Vovchansk. They advanced several kilometers but were stopped shortly thereafter, with Vovchansk being among their primary targets.
The spokesman of the Operative and Tactical Group of Forces “Kharkiv,” Yuriy Povkh, stated in a live broadcast on UP.Live that Ukraine’s military dominates most of the urban area while Russian tactics involving small-scale incursions to capture territory have proven ineffective so far. Ukraine’s artillery has conducted 573 fire missions in the vicinity. Meanwhile, Russia’s airstrikes targeted Ukrainian positions 17 times on 30 May.
The day also saw Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi declare that while Russia continues amassing forces, it lacks sufficient strength for a full-scale offensive breakthrough in Kharkiv Oblast.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov had warned that Russian occupiers aimed to open a new front in northern Ukraine. Recent statements from Ukraine’s military suggest stabilizing the new frontline in Kharkiv Oblast.
Read also:
- Frontline report: Ukraine launches counteroffensive in Vovchansk against Russians
- Frontline battles continue: Ukrainian forces repel Russian advances
- Reuters: Russia plans to deploy up to 300,000 soldiers to Ukraine’s border
