MOSCOW – The Russian military said on May 20 it had taken full control of the settlement of Bilohorivka in Ukraine’s eastern Luhansk region and had taken up better positions in the area.
The Russian Ministry said it forces had been involved in fierce clashes in Kharkiv region near Vovchansk, Starytsia and Hlyboke, earlier in May thrust into Kharkiv region. What Russian President Vladimir Putin said was an operation to create a buffer zone to protect Russia’s border regions.
Ukraine’s officials said its troops still control about 60% of Vovchansk, fighting house-to-house to defend the border town in north-eastern Kharkiv region from Russian attacks, in their most detailed public assessment of battle to date.
Capturing Vovchansk would be Moscow’s most significant gain since it opened a new front in the northern part of Kharkiv region in May, stretching Kyiv’s forces into 3rd year full-scale invasion.
“The enemy continues to try, especially inside Vovchansk, to push out Ukrainian armed forces”.
Russia says it has taken full control of Luhansk’s Bilohorivka in eastern. Vovchansk’s police chief said earlier in May Russian forces had taken positions in the town and called the situation “extremely difficult”. The Russia’s push in Kharkiv region assaults in areas of Vovchansk and Lyptsi forced Ukraine to send reinforcements stretching its troops along more than 1,000km front line in the east and south.
Ukraine earlier said forces had repelled Russian attacks at Starytsia, about 5 k/m from border with Russia, some of Kyiv’s units worked to strengthen defensive positions in that area (May 20), the local authorities had evacuated around 10,500 people away from border areas since May 10. (Reuters)
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