23 settlements in the Kharkiv direction have been liberated from Russian invaders since May.
Source: Deputy Chief of the Main Operations Department of the General Staff of Ukraine Oleksiy Hromov
“Since May 5, a total of 23 settlements in the Kharkiv direction have been liberated from Russian occupation. The enemy is trying to hold back the offensive of our forces. Russia doesn’t stop shelling of Chernihiv and Sumy regions to divert our forces from the main directions,” Hromov said.
According to the military official, the goal of the Russian invaders remains to advance to the administrative borders of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
“The enemy continues to focus its efforts on fighting in the east of our country. Their declared goal of the so-called second stage of the special operation remains unchanged: the occupation of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions within their administrative borders. Thus, at present, in the Donetsk direction, the enemy group is trying to conduct offensive operations along the entire front line. The enemy inflicts fire damage with the use of mortars, artillery systems, and MLR systems with the support of warplanes to inflict losses on our troops, deplete our personnel, and destroy our fortifications,” Hromov added.
See also: The Armed Forces of Ukraine are preparing for a counteroffensive in the Mykolaiv region
