Ukraine says it stopped the Russian attack in Kharkiv – DW – 05/24/2024

Armed forces Ukraine It was reported on Friday (05/24/2024) that they were able to stop the attack launched by Russia two weeks ago in the Kharkiv region in the northeast of the country, and launched “counter-offensive operations” to repel the invading forces, which until now have declared the occupation of a few border towns.

After two weeks of fighting, “Ukrainian defense forces have stopped Russian forces in the Kharkiv sector and are carrying out counter-offensive operations,” Colonel Igor Progorenko, a Ukrainian General Staff official, told reporters. He admitted that the situation in this region is “difficult,” but “stable” and “under control.”

“The enemy is completely overwhelmed by the street fighting in Vovchansk and has suffered heavy losses,” said General Oleksandr Syrsky, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. He also stated that the invaders sent reinforcements to continue the attack, and took up a defensive position around the town of Liptse.

Destroyed printing press

Meanwhile, the President of Ukraine said. Volodymyr ZelenskyHe arrived in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second city, to hold meetings on “the defense of the region, in particular in Vovchansk.” “I am in Kharkiv… I received news of defensive operations as well as work to restore damaged energy infrastructure and Russian attacks,” he wrote on social networking site X (Twitter).

On his trip, Zelensky visited the city's printing press, which was partially destroyed on Thursday by a Russian missile attack that killed seven people and destroyed about 50,000 books. The President expressed his regret, saying: “One of the largest printing infrastructures in Kharkiv and in the entire Ukraine was destroyed, and tens of thousands of books were burned,” adding that “Russian terrorism must not go unpunished.”

DZC (AFP, Reuters, EFE)