Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says Russia’s Kharkiv offensive ‘failed’

ISTANBUL

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Russia has “failed” in its offensive in his country’s northeastern Kharkiv region.

“Today I spoke with the Commander-in-Chief (Oleksandr Syrskyi) — overall, about the situation. A significant outcome is that the Russian army has failed to execute their Kharkiv operation,” Zelenskyy said in an evening video address late on Saturday.

Expressing that the Ukrainian army is currently holding off Russian forces “to the best of our ability,” Zelenskyy said they reinforced the front in the region and they would reinforce further.

Zelenskyy also said he was made aware of a report on the situation in the “most difficult” Donetsk front in the east, indicating that Kyiv was working to provide more reserves for the Ukrainian army. He said they achieved some “new solutions” to reinforce Ukraine’s defense capabilities.

“Progress has also been made in artillery — including the production of 155-caliber shells in Ukraine, and we are preparing a new manufacturing platform. Our combat aviation and electronic warfare capabilities are also being improved,” Zelenskyy also said.

He went on to say that new security agreements for Ukraine are almost ready, adding that the past month had seen Kyiv expand its capabilities on the battlefield and that in June, the country should “strengthen our diplomacy and strategic perspectives.”

Russian forces have been attempting to breach Ukraine’s defenses in the Kharkiv region since early May, opening a new front in the over two-year-long conflict that had hitherto been concentrated in the country’s east and south.

Clashes in the region have intensified since then, particularly near Vovchansk, located about 74 kilometers (45 miles) from Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, which has also been targeted by Russian airstrikes.

Russia claims to have seized control of multiple border settlements since the start of its offensive on the Kharkiv front, as well as other fronts, including Donetsk.

• Kharkiv
• Russia
• Ukraine
• Volodymyr Zelenskyy