Ukrainian forces have arrived on the western outskirts of Kupiansk and have additionally struck south in the direction of Izium after advancing greater than 50 kilometers (31 miles) into Russian-held territory for the reason that starting of this week.
Video footage taken by a Russian army journalist, Yevgeniy Poddubny, exhibits Russian helicopters arriving within the area and not less than one unloading an armored car.
Poddubny reported that Russian army headquarters have been utilizing Mi-26 helicopters to strengthen items in Kharkiv with each males and armored autos, redeploying reserve troops to each Kupiansk and Izium.
“The helicopters are dropping in at touchdown factors all alongside the road of contact… The reinforcements will assist to cease any additional advance of the Kyiv regime,” Poddubny mentioned.
In a later report he mentioned that Kupiansk had come underneath artillery fireplace from Ukrainian armed forces and {that a} bridge throughout the Oskil River within the metropolis had been critically broken.
“Our reserves are arriving on the entrance line,” Poddubny mentioned. “The protection of Kupiansk continues.”
In the meantime, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky mentioned Friday his troops had “liberated and brought management of greater than 30 settlements within the Kharkiv area.”
“Measures to test and safe the territory in some villages of the area are ongoing, we’re steadily taking management of latest settlements — we’re returning the Ukrainian flag and safety for all our individuals all over the place,” Zelensky mentioned in his each day tackle.
Scenes of destruction
The advancing Ukrainian troops have reported scenes of destruction as they retake areas from Russian management.
The pinnacle of the Kharkiv area army administration, Oleh Syniehubov, mentioned he had toured just lately liberated areas the place the Russians had “left damaged infrastructure and homes, many trophies and piles of rubbish,” and posted images of the scenes on Telegram.
“Individuals, with out exaggeration, met our troopers with tears of their eyes,” Syniehubov mentioned.
“Residents, after all, need assistance. Most villages shouldn’t have electrical energy or fuel. Within the close to future, we’ll restore them and herald humanitarian help.”
He mentioned the top of 1 liberated village had been detained on suspicion of collaborating with the occupying Russian forces, and warned every other collaborators that “no traitor will escape accountability.”
Falling morale
Ukraine says some Russian troops at the moment are deserting because of the “important losses” they’ve suffered.
The Basic Employees of the Ukrainian Armed Forces mentioned Friday that not less than 15 desertions had taken place.
Troopers have been abandoning their uniforms and carrying civilian garments in an effort to mix in whereas making an attempt to return to Russian territory, it mentioned.
Video and satellite tv for pc photos which were geolocated by CNN present these advances have concerned sustained assaults on command posts, ammunition shops, and gas reserves far behind the entrance strains.
A senior US official mentioned Ukrainian forces had achieved some success in attacking Russian provide strains, with the intention of slicing off and isolating Russian troops west of the Dnipro River.
