A senior NATO commander has called for a strategic breakthrough in Ukraine's Kharkiv region following Russia's recent surprise cross-border assault. The situation on the ground is causing immense anxiety, with reports of Russia blocking civilians from evacuating towns near Kharkiv where intense fighting is ongoing.
One of the towns affected is Vovchansk, located northeast of Kharkiv, which has been heavily impacted by Russia's assault. Witnesses reported seeing Ukrainian tanks destroyed, US-supplied Humvees overturned, and streets engulfed in flames. Ukrainian police units are working to evacuate civilians, with reports of families desperate to leave the area.