Russia launches offensive into Kharkiv region: Ukraine

KIEV

Russia has launched a cross-border ground offensive into Ukraine's northeast Kharkiv region and fighting there is ongoing, the Ukrainian defense ministry and a high-ranking military source said Friday.

Ukraine pushed back Russian forces from most of Kharkiv region in late 2022, but Moscow is now back on the offensive there as Kyiv's troops struggle with ammunition shortages.

"At approximately 5 a.m. (02:00 GMT), the enemy attempted to break through our defense line under the cover of armoured vehicles," the Ukrainian defense ministry said.

It said that it had repelled Russia's incursion but that "fighting of varying intensity" was ongoing and that Russia had launched aerial strikes into an area near the border.

A high-ranking Ukrainian military source said Russia had advanced into Ukraine by "one kilometre", and was trying to "create a buffer zone" to prevent attacks into Russian territory.

Vitaliy Ganchev, a Russian-installed official in Kharkiv region, said on Telegram that there was "fighting on several parts of the line of contact, including in the border areas."

"In this regard, I ask residents living in these areas to be careful and not to leave shelters without an urgent need," he said.

Russia's defense ministry said it had captured at least two villages in the region this week, pressing its advantage as Ukraine is outgunned and outmanned on the battlefield.

Russia to create 'buffer zone'

Russian forces were trying to establish a "buffer zone" in the Kharkiv region to prevent Ukrainian forces from shelling Russian territory.

A local official also said there was "massive shelling" of the town of Vovchansk, which has a population of 3,000 people, and evacuations were underway there and in nearby areas.