Russia claims it has captured territory after several missile attacks in northeast Ukraine
Russian military forces launched a new series of assaults on the region around the northeast Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, leading to thousands of evacuations from the area.
On Saturday, Russian officials claimed to have captured five villages near the Ukrainian town of Vovchansk, 3.7 miles from the border with Russia.
Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Russian forces were in control of the towns of Strilecha, Krasne, Pylne and Borysivka in the Kharkiv region and the village of Keramik in the Donetsk Oblast region in eastern Ukraine.
Kharkiv Oblast Gov. Oleh Syniehubov later denied that, saying during a broadcast on Ukrainian national television that no territory had been lost.
Western media outlets have not been able to independently verify the Russian claims of captured territory.
“Our brigades met the enemy with live fire. All attacks were repelled. No territory was lost at this time,” Syniehubov said during the televised address.
The governor did refer to several areas in the border region with Russia as a “grey zone,” where fighting continues.
Around 1,775 people have left their homes since the attacks began Friday, according to Syniehubov.
Several hundred people remain in Vovchansk.
By Saturday afternoon, Ukrainian artillery could be heard firing back at Russian positions in the area around Kharkiv.
The attacks come after Russia unleashed drone and artillery attacks up and down its shared border with eastern and southeastern Ukraine on Friday morning.
The attacks killed at least three people and injured 13 more, Ukrainian officials said.
On Friday, the United States signed off on its latest multimillion-dollar aid package, pledging $400 million worth of weapons and equipment for Ukraine.
“We have been anticipating that Russia would launch an offensive against Kharkiv, which appears now to have begun,” White House national security spokesman John Kirby told the Washington Post in an interview Friday.
“We’ve been coordinating closely with Ukraine to help them prepare. At this time, we assess that Russia has intensified crossborder fires and launched initial incursions.”