Ukrainian forces repel Russian attack near Izyum, says General Staff

The Ukrainian military is fighting to expel the Russians from Kharkiv Oblast
The Ukrainian military is fighting to expel the Russians from Kharkiv Oblast

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Russian forces in Kharkiv Oblast are attempting to hold their positions and prevent an offensive by the Ukrainian army, the General Staff said.

In Kharkiv Oblast, the Russians are fortifying positions to the west of the occupied Kozacha Lopan, a town to the north of the city of Kharkiv, near the Russian border.

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From the territory of the Russian Federation to the area of ​​occupied Kupiansk to the east of Kharkiv, the enemy is redeploying weapons and military equipment by rail to prepare for the resumption of an offensive towards Sloviansk, Ukraine’s General Staff said.

The invaders subjected Nova Dmytrivka, Velyka Komyshuvakha, Dovhenke, and Dibrova in Izyum district to barrages of artillery fire, regulating their fire with the help of unmanned aerial vehicles.

Dovhenke was also attacked by enemy attack helicopters.

Russians tried to carry out offensive operations in the area of ​​the village of Pasika of Izyum region, but there they were strongly repulsed and were forced to retreat with losses.

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Soldiers from Ukraine’s 92nd Mechanized Brigade and volunteers drove the Russians out of the village of Mala Rohan on March 25, and on March 27 they liberated Vilkhivka and Husarivka. During the liberation of Mala Rohan, the commander of the Freikorps volunteer battalion Heorhii Tarasenko was killed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posthumously awarded Tarasenko the title of Hero of Ukraine.

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On May 5, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, announced that Ukrainian forces had launched a counteroffensive in Kharkiv Oblast. The Armed Forces drove Russians out of Oleksandrivka, Fedorivka, Ukrainka, Shestakove, Peremohy, and occupied part of Cherkaski Tyshky.

On May 7, the General Staff confirmed the liberation of Tsyrkuny, and three days later that of Ruski Tyshky, Cherkaski Tyshky, Rubizhne and Bayrak.

On May 11, the army liberated Pytomnyk, and a week later the village of Dementiivka, close to the Russian border.