Russia makes new gains in Ukraine’s Kharkov Region – MOD

Russian forces have driven Ukrainian troops out of two settlements in Kharkov Region and Donbass, the Defense Ministry in Moscow has announced.

In a statement on Monday, the ministry said forces from Russia’s ‘Western’ group had seized the village of Kotlyarovka in the north of Ukraine’s Kharkov Region. The settlement is around 25km east of Kupyansk, described as a key Ukrainian logistics hub, the capture of which would allow Russia to advance directly on the city of Kharkov or support further operations in Donbass.

The announcement came after several Russian Telegram channels posted footage last week of what appeared to be Moscow’s troops holding a national banner in Kotlyarovka.

Meanwhile, the ministry said Russia’s ‘Center’ group of forces had also taken control of the Donbass village of Solovyovo, around 40km northwest of Donetsk. Solovyovo is near the key supply hub of Ocheretino, a village captured by Russia on Sunday.

Russian military blogger Boris Rozhin suggested that within days Moscow could announce the capture of Kislovka, a village near Kotlyarovka, as well as several other frontline Donbass settlements. This came after the pro-Ukrainian, US-based think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) last week reported the presence of Russian forces in Kislovka.

The new gains in Kharkov and Donetsk Regions come after Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said in April that Moscow’s forces are fully in control of the battlefield situation and are steadily expanding their gains.

Aleksandr Syrsky, commander-in-chief of Kiev’s armed forces, admitted last month that the Ukrainian military is in a “difficult operational and strategic situation.” In similar remarks, the deputy head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Vadim Skibitsky, said last week that Moscow “always knew April and May would be a difficult time for us,” adding that Kiev’s main problem is a lack of weapons.