A Ukrainian military source revealed to Reuters that Russian forces launched a ground attack with armored vehicles last Friday in the Kharkiv region, northeast of the country. They advanced about one kilometer near the town of Vovchansk, located on the border, in an attempt to establish a buffer zone. The source added that Russian forces aim to advance up to 10 kilometers from the Russian border, while Kiev’s forces are fighting to prevent Moscow’s progress. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense stated that fighting in border areas near Kharkiv is ongoing, with Kiev sending additional troops to bolster its capabilities. It also clarified that around 5:00 a.m., Russian forces attempted to “penetrate our defensive line with armored vehicles… and so far, we are repelling these attacks, and the battles continue with varying intensity.”
A local official in Kharkiv announced evacuation operations in towns in the area, including Vovchansk, with a population of 3,000, after being subjected to “intense shelling.” A high-ranking Ukrainian military source reported that Russian forces are attempting to establish a “buffer zone” in the Kharkiv region to prevent Ukrainian forces from shelling Russian territory, according to AFP.
Another Ukrainian source with direct knowledge of frontline developments told CNN that Russian forces also penetrated about 5 kilometers into Ukraine towards the village of Krasnyi, about 75 kilometers west of Vovchansk. The source explained that the Russian ground attack on Krasnyi was carried out by four Russian battalions, totaling around 2,000 men. Ukrainian officials did not provide much information about the second Russian wave, although the Ukrainian General Staff, in its Friday evening update, noted Russian attacks in the Krasnyi area and two neighboring villages.
It is worth noting that DeepStateMap, a Ukrainian monitoring group updating frontline developments daily, indicated four villages close to each other – including Krasnyi – in the gray area, representing currently disputed territories not under full Ukrainian control. DeepStateMap also pointed out on its Telegram channel that the number of Russian forces deployed in the two border-crossing operations was not sufficient to achieve deeper advances into Ukrainian territory. However, it also drew attention to the fact that Moscow has numerous forces stationed along the border, estimated at around 40,000. Responding to questions about the developments, Ukrainian President Zelensky did not downplay the seriousness of these developments but said the Ukrainian army had anticipated such a move.
On the other hand, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the government in Kiev carried out a “terrorist attack” on the Belgorod province, using a number of missiles. The ministry said, „the Kiev regime carried out a terrorist attack using the tactical missile systems ‘Tochka-U,’ ‘Olkha,’ and ‘Vampir’ on residential areas in the city of Belgorod.” The ministry added, “Russian air defense systems destroyed six ‘Tochka-U’ missiles, four ‘Vampir’ missiles, and two ‘Olkha’ missiles during the attack“. The statement noted that “fragments of one ‘Tochka-U’ missile, which was shot down, caused the destruction of a residential building in Belgorod.”
French President Emmanuel Macron affirmed that Europe must be prepared to contain Russia if Moscow “goes too far in the conflict in Ukraine.” Macron stated, „if the Russians go too far at some point, then we all Europeans must be ready to move to deter them.” He emphasized his hope that “Paris does not have to engage in hostile acts because France is not a war but a peace power,” stressing that if Europe wants peace, it must defend itself. He continued, „that’s why we must arm ourselves, that’s why we must be convincing to our adversaries and tell them: if you go too far in threatening our interests and security, we do not rule out intervention.”
Days ago, during the annual military parade in Red Square, Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated, „we celebrate Victory Day at a time when we are conducting a special military operation… Those who are at the forefront in the war are our heroes.” Putin issued a warning to the West during the military parade, accompanied by many references to nuclear weapons, saying, “Russia will do its utmost to avoid a global confrontation, but at the same time, we will not allow anyone to threaten us, and our strategic forces are always in a state of combat readiness.”
Russian authorities are attempting to portray the war in Ukraine as a continuation of World War II, so that Russians believe that external forces are once again fighting to destroy Russia, with Ukraine and the West being the external forces this time. However, in reality, Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and militarily intervened in Donbas, and in 2022, President Putin ordered a wide-scale invasion of Ukraine. But in this war, something unusual and worrying is happening in Russia as a result of the war in Ukraine. After the horrors of World War II, Russians have been accustomed for decades to saying “we can endure all kinds of deprivation if there is no more war.” This phrase “no more war” can be heard in every town and village across this giant country, wherever one goes. Nevertheless, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that Russia has lost 482,290 soldiers in Ukraine since the start of its comprehensive invasion on February 24, 2022. This figure includes 1,260 soldiers, human losses suffered by Russian forces in the past two days, according to the Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Independent, which also clarified that Russia has lost 7,454 tanks, 14,375 armored fighting vehicles, 16,819 fuel trucks and tanks, 12,472 artillery systems, 1,066 multiple rocket launchers, 797 air defense systems, 350 aircraft, 325 helicopters, 9,910 drones, and 26 ships, boats, and submarines.
In a separate context, China announced that its envoy to the Eurasian region concluded a diplomatic tour in the Middle East, the third regarding the war in Ukraine, as part of Beijing’s mediation efforts in the conflict. During his tour from May 3 to 9, the envoy Li Huai met with diplomats in Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, urging all parties to “create conditions for resuming direct dialogue,” according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry. This came after the Chinese envoy visited Russia, Ukraine, and EU countries as part of Beijing’s efforts to mediate in the conflict. The Foreign Ministry stated about the latest tour, “China deeply exchanged views with all parties on the Ukrainian crisis, and all parties agreed with China’s proposals to call for calm.” The statement added that Li also urged further humanitarian assistance and international cooperation to maintain “the security of vital infrastructure” such as gas pipelines and energy facilities, as well as the stability of global supply chains.
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