Russia attacks Kharkiv, Moscow troops one km across the border. The governor: «We have not lost territory»

“Russia is intensifying its offensive in Ukraine, but we are confident in the capabilities of Kiev’s army”: this was said by the spokesman for the National Security Council, John Kirby, speaking of the new US military aid package for Ukraine.

«Commander in Chief Oleksandr Syrsky has just delivered a report. There are heavy battles all along the front line. Particular attention is paid to the Kharkiv direction, Pokrovsk direction and other directions in the Donetsk region. We also discussed defensive actions and strengthening our positions in the Kharkiv region.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported this in an update on Facebook. «A special focus was dedicated to Chasiv Yar. The commander in chief reported on solutions that will provide greater opportunities for our warriors,” he concluded.

Kharkiv Governor Oleg Sinegubov said that all Russian attacks in the northern Ukrainian region had been repelled and that there had been no loss of territory. Ukrainska Pravda reports it. «The enemy launched a new wave of operations in northern Kharkiv», «our brigades faced the enemy and the attacks were repelled. There have been no losses of territory yet,” he said. The governor’s words come after Ukrainian military sources told Ukrainska Pravda that Russian troops had captured four border villages in Kharkiv.

Russia is building facilities in Belarus that could house nuclear warheads. This was revealed by an investigation by the New York Times based on an examination of satellite images. The chosen area is a military ammunition depot 190 kilometers from the border with Ukraine, near the city of Asipovichy. Some of the facilities recently built in the area have features that are typical of nuclear storage at bases on Russian soil, the New York Times highlights.

The first Western F-16 fighters will arrive in Ukraine within a few weeks. This was confirmed by the British The Standard, citing a high-ranking military source, according to whom the planes should arrive in the country by June/July. The source did not say who will provide the first jets, but several Western countries have offered to send the aircraft to Kiev.

The United States is about to announce a new $400 million aid package for Ukraine. Politico reports it, citing some sources.

«Currently not all our partners fulfill their agreements promptly. We need the maximum concentration of our friends, friends of Ukraine, to accelerate the supply” of weapons. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said this at a press conference with the President of Slovakia Zuzana Chaputova, as reported by Rbc Ukraine. The Ukrainian leader’s words come as Russia has launched a new offensive in the north to break through the defense lines in Kharkiv. The president added in any case that Kiev is grateful to every leader who helps speed up the transfer of weapons.

Russian forces managed to engage Ukrainian forces at a depth of one kilometer beyond the border, in the Kharkiv region, near Vovchansk, two or three kilometers in some places, claims Russian military blogger Rybar. According to him, this morning’s breakthrough attempt was a combat reconnaissance mission and not a real assault. The battlefield is extended, with attacks on Ukrainian artillery positions to weaken defenses. Cross-border bombing and reconnaissance missions are underway. The Ministry of Defense in Moscow did not speak of a new offensive underway against the Kharkiv region, but claimed the advance on the two towns of Kotlyarovka and Kislovka and that it had repelled a Ukrainian counter-offensive.

A heavy bombardment is underway in the Kharkiv region, in eastern Ukraine, where Russian troops are trying to break through Kiev’s defense line. The city of Vovchansk is on fire, Ukrainian media report. On public radio, the head of the military administration of the city of Vovchansk, Tamaz Gambarashvili, said that civilians were leaving the city area and nearby settlements that were under Russian attack. “Since three in the morning the Russians have been firing missiles, using artillery and anti-aircraft guns,” Gambarashvili said, reporting that citizens spoke of “bombings never seen before in the area.” According to Gambarashvili, most of the population is fleeing independently, others are being helped by the police and volunteers. At the moment there is still no information on any victims because the attacks are ongoing, but the local authorities speak of serious destruction.

“The Ukrainian Defense Forces stopped the Russian offensive in the Kharkiv region this morning,” President Volodymyr Zelensky told Ukrinform, reported by Rbc-Ukraine. «Between 7 and 8 in the morning there was a fierce artillery fight. At that point the Russian offensive was stopped,” he said. According to the president, the Ukrainian Armed Forces were ready for this action by the Russians. «Ukraine faced them. Our military, our command knew this and calculated their forces to meet the enemy with fire. Now there is a brutal battle in the area,” he added.

According to a Ukrainian military source, Russian forces have advanced a kilometer into the Kharkiv region near Vovchansk, the Guardian reports. The source said the Russian military aims to advance up to 10 kilometers into the region in an attempt to establish a buffer zone

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has announced that so far the attacks by Russian troops in the eastern region of Kharkiv, which have intensified in the last few hours to break through the front line, have been repelled and battles of varying intensity are underway. Meanwhile, the local military administration announced the evacuation of the population due to increasing Russian attacks. «Reserve units have been sent to strengthen the defense on this part of the front. The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to curb the enemy’s offensive,” the Defense Ministry said.

Russian military forces have launched a ground offensive to breach the border in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine, Ukrainian sources have reported. The Ministry of Defense in Kiev announced that it had sent other military units to strengthen the defense and repel Russian attacks in the border areas of the north-eastern region of the country. At dawn today, around five o’clock, Russian forces in armored vehicles made a first attempt to break the defense line which was rejected. «Clashes of varying intensity continue» in Strilecha, Borysivka and Pylna. Meanwhile, civilians have been evacuated from Vovchansk, the target of intense Russian bombing since yesterday evening.

Russian forces tried to breach the border with Ukraine with sabotage groups as shelling on the city of Vovchansk in the eastern Kharkiv region intensified. The governor of Kharkiv Oleg Syniehubov reported this on Telegram, stating that the attempts were repelled and that the Ukrainian forces “maintained their positions”. «The Russian army has intensified its bombing, particularly on the city of Vovchansk. Attacks with multiple rocket launchers, MLRS and artillery continued throughout the night,” he wrote.

With the help of unmanned marine drones it was possible to cause damage to the Russian fleet amounting to 500 million dollars: the spokesman for the Ukrainian military intelligence directorate, Andry Yusov, declared on national television, quoted by UNIAN. Yusov said that the Ukrainian Magura drone is a unique means of attacking not only the enemy fleet, but also destroying weapons and personnel on board ships.

Overnight, several drones attacked the First Plant oil refinery in Russia’s Kaluga region, according to Telegram channels and Russian media cited by Ukrainska Pravda. Loud explosions were heard in the Dzerzhinsky district, later a fire broke out in the area of ​​an oil depot, the Moscow Times reports. The refinery had already been attacked on March 15th, the refining capacity of the First Plant is 1.2 million tons per year. A drone flying in the direction of the Russian capital was shot down in the Moscow region, Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said.

One person was injured in a Russian attack that hit the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv tonight. Mayor Ihor Terekhov made this known, specifying that some houses were damaged and a fire broke out. The attack occurred around 3:30 am local time, Terekhov specifies on Telegram. At least five explosions were heard in Kharkiv Oblast overnight.

The Russian Ministry of Defense claims to have shot down a Ukrainian drone heading towards Moscow in the Podolsk district tonight and three others in the Trubchevsky district of the Bryansk region. The Russian and Ukrainian media reported it. The Moscow authorities specify that there are no victims.

Germany, in cooperation with the United States, will transfer additional Himars high-mobility artillery missile systems to Ukraine, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said during a briefing with journalists quoted by Kiev media. “Together with the Americans we will deliver three Himars heavy launch systems to Ukraine,” Pistorius said, explaining that the weapons are part of the inventory of other Western armed forces and will be financed by Germany.