Vladimir Putin’s army appears to have made a major breakthrough in the Kharkiv direction, after reportedly capturing a key village.
The Russians launched a surprise assault on May 10 in Ukraine‘s north-eastern province, making swift progress.
Ukraine‘s President Zelensky admitted that Putin’s troops had advanced between five to 10km (3-6 miles) along the north-eastern border but had been stopped in an interview with AFP on Friday.
Fierce fighting continues in the northern part of the town of Vovchansk near the Russian border, as Ukraine‘s army desperately tries to hang on to the urban settlement.
However, Russia‘s Ministry of Defence claimed on Saturday its forces had captured the village of Starytsia and were continuing to push deeper into Ukraine‘s rear.
The village lies to the west of Vovchansk and is only 57 km from Kharkiv – Ukraine‘s second largest city.
If the Russian reports turn out to be true, then Ukraine‘s army in Vovchansk faces the real danger of being cut off in a major blow for Kyiv.
There has currently been no confirmation from Ukraine about the fate of the village.
Yesterday army chiefs said their forces had successfully repelled a Russian attack near Starytsia and that the Kremlin’s airforce had bombed Harbuzivka and Bilyi Kolodyazh.
Putin’s army has seized 278 square kilometres (107 square miles) between 9 and 15 May, their biggest gains since the end of 2022 – according to AFP analysis of data from the Institute for the the Study of War.
Zelensky has once again urged the West to deliver more air defence systems and fighter jets.
He claimed Ukraine only had 25 percent of what it needed in terms of air defence.
The beleaguered President also said his army required 120 to 130 F-16 fighter jets to give it any chance of holding back the Russians.
Ukraine‘s army is struggling to recruit new soldiers to help fill out its ranks and replace those killed or injured.
In February Zelensky revealed that 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed since the beginning of the invasion in February 2022.
Many soldiers are complaining of fatigue and low morale, after being forced to spend long periods at the front due to lack of reserves.
“There are a serious number of brigades, existing brigades, which, a large number of them, are empty,” he said.
“We need to do this so that the guys have a normal rotation. Then their morale will be improved.”
