With Russian Federation forces achieving an overwhelming victory in the north near Kharkov and advancing relentlessly in eastern Donetsk Oblast, the situation for the Ukrainian defenders was as bad as it had ever been in this war.
Against the backdrop of the near collapse of many parts of Ukraine’s defense lines, President Zelensky decided to postpone all foreign visits.
There is also the fact that his constitutional presidential term expires on May 20, which means that, after the cancellation of the election, he will become an illegitimate president and be retained by force.
The situation on the battlefield continued to deteriorate, and Kiev had to admit that Russian troops had entered the city of Volchansk in the Kharkiv region.
The imminent capture of the region would be Russia’s most important conquest in this fast-paced new offensive, forcing Ukrainian commander-in-chief Alexander Silsky to send whatever reinforcements he can find to the region to prevent total collapse.
Reuters reports:
“The attack unbalanced Ukrainian forces, which also guard a 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line in the east and south, ahead of what Zelensky said could be a major Russian offensive in the coming weeks. Several Moscow has been making slow progress in the east for months.
‘The situation is extremely difficult. “The enemy is taking up positions on the streets of the town of Volchansk,” Volchansk patrol police chief Oleksiy Kharkovskyi said on Facebook.
Defense Ministry spokesman Dmytro Razutkin said “some” Russian infantry regiments had entered the town. Ukrainian troops later managed to “partially” repel them, but “defensive operations” broke out in the northern and northwestern suburbs, the General Staff said.
Russian troops captured the settlements of Glubokoye and Lukyanchi in the Kharkiv region. At the same time, the only result of Ukraine’s summer offensive-Rabotino in the Zaporozhye region was also recaptured by Moscow.
The city of Kharkiv was now within artillery range.
Ukraine withdraws to new positions in Volchansk region “Consequences of Enemy Fire and Onslaught”.
Ukraine is trying to put out attacks on the Kharkiv region while holding on to Moscow’s main offensive in the eastern Donbas region and guarding against potential new border incursions.
Top military spies have warned that Russia has deployed small groups of troops in the northern part of the Kharkiv region bordering the Sumy region.
Ukraine’s shortage of soldiers puts it at a strategic disadvantage. As reinforcements are sent north, areas to the east or south are at risk of breakthrough.
While Kiev says Russian attacks in the northeast pose no imminent threat to Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city with a population of 1.3 million, the fact is that the city’s supply lines are currently under Russian control.
Political coverage:
“Vladimir Zelensky has instructed to postpone all international events scheduled for the next few days and coordinate new dates. We thank our partners for their understanding”, Zelensky’s press secretary Sergey Nikifor Rove said in a statement on social media.
[…] Ukrainian commanders “make all decisions based on comprehensive information.” Nikiforov said more troops were being deployed and reserves were in place.
According to media reports, both Spain and Portugal are on the list of countries Zelensky plans to visit.
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Northern Offensive: Russian troops enter Volchansk – the city of Kharkiv is almost within artillery range – Kiev has no more reserves available (Video)
