Russia's military has announced the capture of five villages in the Kharkiv region on the border with Ukraine as part of a new offensive. Ukrainian authorities, however, have stated that they are repelling the attacks and that the fighting is ongoing.
The surprise cross-border attack by Russia began on Friday, with two assaults inside northern Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelensky referred to this as a 'new wave of counteroffensive actions' by Russia.
The exact objective of Russia's offensive remains unclear, but it is speculated that Moscow may be aiming to create a buffer zone to reduce Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory or to divert the attention of Kyiv's forces.
Russia's Ministry of Defense announced the establishment of a new military grouping called Sever (North), which claimed to have 'liberated' several villages in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions.
Ukrainian forces have been actively working to repel the Russian attacks, with hundreds of civilians evacuated from the northern Kharkiv region. The Head of the Kharkiv Regional Military Administration disputed Russia's claims of capturing the villages, stating that heavy fighting continues in the area.
At least three people were reported dead due to Russian strikes in the Kharkiv region overnight. Russia's recent military efforts have primarily focused on the east, taking advantage of Ukrainian manpower and weaponry shortages to make incremental advances.
In a separate incident, a fire broke out at the Volgograd oil refinery in southern Russia following a Ukrainian drone attack. The fire has since been extinguished, with no casualties reported.
