Russia Making 'Tactical Gains' in Kharkiv Despite Staggering Losses

Russian forces have secured "tactical success" in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region after opening up a new front late last week, according to Kyiv's military, although the gains are said to have come at a significant cost.

"At present, the enemy has tactical success" close to the border city of Vovchansk, in the Kharkiv region, the General Staff of Ukraine's military said in a statement posted to social media. The situation on the ground is complex and constantly changing, and Russia has "deployed significant forces to attack the city with up to 5 battalions," Kyiv's military added.

Russian forces launched a push into Kharkiv early on Friday, Ukrainian officials said, adding that Kyiv's military was rushing additional resources to the northeastern border.

The regional capital, Kharkiv City—which has been under persistent Russian bombardment for weeks—is Ukraine's second-largest. Capturing it would be a significant win for Russia, although it is not clear if Moscow will launch a wider assault on the settlement.

Russia claimed swathes of northeastern Ukraine in its initial invasion effort from February 2022, but Kyiv retook large areas in its counteroffensive later that year. Ukrainian officials had been warning of a possible offensive into Kharkiv for weeks as fierce fighting raged on in the east of the country.

"The enemy is actively attacking our units in several directions with the aim of advancing deep into the territory of our state," Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskyi, Ukraine's army chief, said in a statement on Sunday. "The situation is difficult, but the Defense Forces of Ukraine are doing everything to hold defensive lines and positions, inflict damage on the enemy."

Local officials say almost 6,000 residents have been evacuated from the region, with shelling focusing largely on Vovchansk. Russian forces "appear to be attempting to encircle Vovchansk," the U.S.-based independent think tank the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said on Sunday.

Russia's Defense Ministry said on Saturday that it had captured five settlements in Kharkiv, adding on Sunday that its forces now controlled a further four villages in the region. Ukraine's military said Russia had carried out 22 attacks on the Kharkiv region on Sunday.

On Monday, figures published by Ukraine's military reported the largest daily Russian casualty rate since the start of the war, recording more than 1,700 casualties in the previous 24 hours. By Kyiv's count, Russia also lost more than 30 tanks and 42 armored vehicles in the past day. Newsweek could not independently verify these figures.

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