Reports that Russia has launched the Kharkiv offensive

On Friday, Russian forces are said to have attacked several Ukrainian border towns and attempted to enter Kharkiv province.

The case is updated.

This is reported by several Ukrainian sources. One of these is the Telegram channel DeepState. It is considered a credible one OSINT OSINTOSINT, open sources: obtaining information from sources that are available to everyone, such as images, videos, the Internet, TV, radio and newspapers. – actor with a large source network.

According to DeepState, Russia has carried out extensive artillery attacks on villages and towns near the border.

– The enemy is trying to penetrate and secure a foothold in a number of towns along the border, writes the channel.

DeepState believes that Russia does not have sufficient resources in the area to get far into Kharkiv province.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense confirmed on Friday morning that Russia is attempting an offensive in this area.

– Around five o’clock in the morning, the enemy tried to break through our defense line with cover from armored vehicles. These attacks have been repulsed. Fighting of varying intensity continues, writes the Ministry of Defense in a press release.

The ministry further writes that they have sent reserve forces to strengthen the defense in the area.

Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synjehubov confirms that the Russians have intensified their attacks in northern parts of the province. Vovtsjansk is particularly affected. It is a city that has had around 20,000 inhabitants. Synjehubov writes on Telegram that the Russian attackers pose no threat to Kharkiv.

The big city with around 1.2 million people is located around three miles south of the border with Russia. Kharkiv is Ukraine’s second largest city and is regularly exposed to Russian missile and drone attacks.

– Ukraine’s armed forces are holding their positions, says Synjehubov.

Russia tried to capture Kharkiv in the first weeks after the full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022. They never succeeded. In September 2022, Russian forces were pushed out of the entire Kharkiv province after a lightning offensive by Ukrainian forces.

In recent months, the fear that Russia will attempt a new ground offensive against Kharkiv has increased. Ukraine has started extensive construction of defense works in the area.

Data from the Ukrainian Defense General Staff shows that in recent weeks there has been a marked increase in the number of Russian attacks against Ukrainian defense lines along the entire 1,000 kilometer long front line: