2024 Kharkiv offensive

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Not to be confused with 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive.

2024 Kharkiv offensive
Part of the eastern campaign of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.svg

The frontline on 10 May 2024
Date10 May 2024 (2024-05-10) – present
(1 day)
Location
Kharkiv Oblast
Status Ongoing
Belligerents
 Russia  Ukraine
Units involved
 Russian Ground Forces

 Ukrainian Ground Forces

Strength
35,000–50,000[2] (total along Ukraine's border with Bryansk, Kursk, and Belgorod Oblasts) unknown
Casualties and losses
Per Ukrainian military:
Several KIA
4 BMPs destroyed		 unknown
3 dead and 4 injured by Russian shelling[3]

According to both Ukrainian and Russian sources, on 10 May 2024, Russian forces shelled and attempted to breach the defenses of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the direction of Vovchansk, in Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast.[4]

Background

Further information: Battle of Kharkiv (2022), 2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive, and Russian occupation of Kharkiv Oblast

In the first months of their invasion, the Russian Armed Forces managed to conquer large parts of northeastern Kharkiv Oblast, including the towns of Kupiansk, Izium, Shevchenkove, and Balakliia. Following a counteroffensive in September 2022, Ukrainian forces were able to recapture these settlements and push Russian forces out of almost the entire oblast.[5]

During the first months of 2024, reports appeared that the Russian army was rebuilding its forces in the north to launch a new offensive in the direction of Kharkiv later that year.[6][7][8] Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had also repeatedly threatened to attack Kharkiv Oblast and establish a buffer zone to protect Belgorod Oblast in response to cross-border attacks by Ukraine.[9][10] On 8 May 2024, the governor of Kharkiv Oblast, Oleh Syniehubov, reported a large gathering of Russian forces north of the region.[11][12]

Timeline

According to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russian forces shelled positions with guided bombs in the direction of Vovchansk during the day and added artillery fire at night. An attempt to break through the front line was recorded at 5:00 am on 10 May.[13] Up to 4-5 Russian infantry battalions crossed the state border, reportedly capturing the villages of Krasne [uk], Borysivka, Strilecha, and Pylna [uk].[14][15][16] Vovchansk came under heavy artillery fire overnight, and Ukraine's armed forces urged residents of northern Kharkiv Oblast to evacuate.[17]

According to Ukrainian military journalist Yuri Butusov, the captured border area had been a "gray zone" behind the Ukrainian defensive line with no Ukrainian military presence, with the exception of Strilecha.[14][18] Syniehubov also referred to the affected villages as a "gray zone",[19] claiming that "the Ukrainian armed forces have not lost a single meter".[20] According to DeepStateMap.Live analysts, citing confidential sources, Russian forces had occupied the village of Pylna several days before 10 May, but poor communication within the Ukrainian military had prevented any action from being taken.[21]

Later in the afternoon, reserve units were sent to Kharkiv Oblast to hold the front line, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.[22]

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that artillery has so far been able to repel the Russian offensive in Kharkiv Oblast and that Russia may pull more reserves to support the offensive but Ukraine’s armed forces are ready to resist them.[23]

Later that day a senior Ukrainian commander said that Russian forces had pushed Ukrainian forces back by one kilometer from the Russian-Ukrainian border and were aiming to advance 10 kilometers into Ukraine. The border city of Vovchansk was subjected to "massive shelling" and residents were being evacuated.[24]

Fighting was also reported in the villages of Pletenivka [uk], Hatyshche [uk],[25] Hoptivka,[26] Morokhovets [uk],[27] Oliinykove [uk] and Ohirtseve [uk].[28] Russian bloggers claimed that Hatyshche, Ohirtseve, and Zelene [uk] had come under Russian control, according to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW).[2] Ukraine's 42nd Mechanized Brigade published footage of its "Perun" unit destroying four Russian BMP infantry fighting vehicles in the area of Pylna using combat drones, claiming to have inflicted several casualties.[29][30]

A member of the Ukrainian partisan movement Atesh allegedly serving in the Russian military claimed that parts of his unit, a motorised rifle battalion of the 44th Army Corps, refused to participate in the assault on Kharkiv Oblast, owing to the failure of previous sabotage and reconnaissance and the strength of Ukrainian fortifications.[31]

By 10 May, Russian forces, according to the ISW, had seized around “35 square miles of territory”, although Ukrainian forces claimed to have pushed Russian forces back.[32]

Reaction

David Axe, a military correspondent for Forbes, described the attack as "an elaborate feint" whose main goal, other than having something for the Russians to celebrate during their Victory Day Parade, was to pull resources away from Chasiv Yar and Avdiivka.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Axe, David. "Russia's Victory Day Offensive In Northern Ukraine Might Be An Elaborate Feint. Will Ukraine Fall For It?". Forbes. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  2. ^ a b Bailey, Riley; Evans, Angelica; Harward, Christina; Mappes, Grace; Kagan, Frederick W. (2024-05-10). "Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, May 10 2024". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  3. ^ "Civilian casualties reported amid intense Russian attacks in Kharkiv Oblast". The Kyiv Independent. May 10, 2024.
  4. ^ "В СНБО прокомментировали ситуацию на Харьковщине и оценили угрозу для областного центра". Телеграф. May 10, 2024.
  5. ^ Kuznetsov, Sergei (2022-09-09). "Liberated Ukrainians embrace troops on lightning advance near Kharkiv". Politico. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  6. ^ Barnes, Joe (2024-01-04). "Ukraine braces for renewed Russia offensive near Kharkiv". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  7. ^ Kullab, Samya (2024-04-20). "As Russia edges toward a possible offensive on Kharkiv, some residents flee. Others refuse to leave". AP News. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  8. ^ "Ukraine pulls back from three villages in east". Reuters. 2024-04-28. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  9. ^ "Kremlin says the only way to protect Russia is to create a buffer zone with Ukraine". Reuters. 2024-03-18. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  10. ^ Rennolds, Nathan (2024-04-20). "Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov signals Putin's plan to seize Kharkiv and create a 'sanitary zone'". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  11. ^ Denisova, Kateryna (8 May 2024). "Governor: Russian forces forming grouping north of Kharkiv". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  12. ^ "Попытка прорыва границы: в ВСУ призвали жителей севера Харьковщины эвакуироваться (карта)". ФОКУС. May 10, 2024.
  13. ^ Міністерство оборони України (2024-05-10). "Сили оборони України захищають наші позиції на Харківщині". Facebook (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  14. ^ a b Краснолуцька, Олеся (2024-05-10). "От коридора к панике. Что планирует РФ на Харьковщине". Korrespondent (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  15. ^ "Russians capture 4 villages in Kharkiv Oblast, try to advance on Vovchansk". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  16. ^ Sabbagh, Dan; Roth, Andrew (May 10, 2024). "Russians try to break through Ukrainian defence lines north of Kharkiv". The Guardian.
  17. ^ "Попытка прорыва РФ в Харьковщину: что известно". korrespondent.net.
  18. ^ "Russian army captures four border villages in Kharkiv Oblast during offensive, journalist says". The New Voice of Ukraine. 2024-05-10. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
  19. ^ "Media claim Russia captures 4 border villages in Kharkiv Oblast, governor says no ground lost". Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  20. ^ "«ВСУ не потеряли ни одного метра». В Харьковской ОВА подтвердили усиление обстрелов на севере и работу российских ДРГ". nv.ua.
  21. ^ "DeepState: Россияне заняли приграничное село на Харьковщине несколько дней назад. Командование ситуацию искажало" (in Russian). 2024-05-10. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  22. ^ "Минобороны отправило резервы в Харьковскую область – заявление".
  23. ^ "Zelenskiy Says Russia Attempts a New Offensive Near Kharkiv". www.bloomberg.com.
  24. ^ Balmforth, Tom (10 May 2024). "Russian forces attack Ukraine's Kharkiv region opening new front". Yahoo! News. Reuters. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  25. ^ Denisova, Kateryna (10 May 2024). "Media: Fights ongoing near several Kharkiv Oblast villages, Russia storming Pletenivka". The Kyiv Independent. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  26. ^ Краснолуцька, Олеся (2024-05-10). "Попытка прорыва РФ в Харьковщину: что известно". Korrespondent (in Russian). Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  27. ^ "Головком ЗСУ доповів Президенту щодо посилення позицій на Харківщині" (in Ukrainian). 2024-05-10. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  28. ^ Oliynyk, Tetyana (2024-05-10). "Fighting for grey zone settlements continues in Kharkiv Oblast – Ukrainian General Staff". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
  29. ^ "Колонна наступала в сторону Харькова: подразделение "Перун" показало, как дроны уничтожили БМП РФ (видео)". ФОКУС. May 10, 2024.
  30. ^ "42 ОМБр показала видео уничтожения колонны россиян во время наступления в сторону Харькова". inforesist.org. May 10, 2024.
  31. ^ Ivashkiv, Olena (May 11, 2024). "One unit of Russian 44th Army Corps refuses to storm Kharkiv Oblast – underground resistance". Ukrainian Pravda. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  32. ^ Koshiw, Isobel; Hall, Ben (May 11, 2024). "Russia launches assault on Kharkiv region in north-eastern Ukraine". Financial Times. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
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