Ukrainian forces have achieved limited success against Russian troops along the northeastern border in the Kharkiv region, where Moscow has opened a new front threatening Ukraine’s second-largest city. The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Ukrainian units have recently made marginal advances north of Kharkiv City towards Lyptsi. However, Russian forces continue to make progress in other parts of the northeastern front as well as in the southern and eastern regions of the country.
ISW – Geolocated footage – Ukrainian forces recently recaptured some territory in fields north of #Lyptsi. #Vovchansk – there were no confirmed changes to the frontline, heavy fighting continues on Lenina Street in centr. #Kharkiv #War_in_Ukraine pic.twitter.com/45HKDxWiIg
— #War_in_Ukraine #Facts #Opinions #Trends #Kharkiv (@HarZizn) May 28, 2024
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy announced that Ukrainian troops had secured “combat control” of areas where Russian troops had recently launched incursions. He made this statement following a meeting with military and regional officials in Kharkiv, emphasizing that Ukrainian forces had regained control of the border areas breached by Russian forces. Despite these gains, the situation remains fluid with ongoing battles.
Russian officials present a different narrative. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have repelled a Ukrainian counterattack north of Lyptsi, inflicting heavy losses on Ukrainian troops. Additionally, Viktor Vodolatskiy, a member of Russia’s State Duma, stated that Russian forces control more than half of Vovchansk, a town located just inside the border. He mentioned that after securing Vovchansk, Russian forces would target key cities in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region.
Vovchansk destroyed pic.twitter.com/8Xh8zDM2Rw
— Sander (@SanderRegter) May 28, 2024
The fighting around Vovchansk has been particularly fierce, with reports of significant destruction and heavy casualties on both sides. Ukrainian General Staff reported that the situation remains tense but under control. They also noted that Russian forces had achieved partial success near Kupiansk, further east in the Kharkiv region, and in the Pokrovsk sector in Donetsk.
In the broader conflict, Russian forces have made incremental advances along various parts of the front line. They continue their push westward from Avdiivka and Bakhmut in Donetsk, eyeing strategic locations like Chasiv Yar. The situation is also critical in the southern Zaporizhzhia region, where Russian troops are trying to reclaim territory lost to Ukrainian forces during the summer 2023 counteroffensive.
“There’s never enough ammunition,” Ukrainian troops deployed near Chasiv Yar say
The 23rd Battalion of Ukraine’s Separate Presidential Brigade has been deployed nearly continuously in Donetsk Oblast since the summer of 2022. pic.twitter.com/LEQaH9nVwK
— The New Voice of Ukraine (@NewVoiceUkraine) May 29, 2024
Russia’s strategy appears aimed at stretching Ukrainian defenses thin, forcing Kyiv to deploy its reserves across multiple fronts. This has led to intense and widespread combat engagements, with Ukrainian forces valiantly holding their positions and repelling numerous Russian assaults. The overall picture remains one of a costly and attritional conflict, with both sides experiencing significant losses and limited territorial gains.
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