Russian advance

Kharkiv: 10,000 people brought to safety

These civilians had to flee from the attacks in the Kharkiv region.(Bild: APA/AFP/Ukraine Emergency Service/Handout)

Just over a week after the start of the Russian ground offensive in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, almost 10,000 people have been evacuated from the area so far, according to the authorities.

Russian troops launched a ground offensive in the Kharkiv region on May 10. Since then, they have been able to advance around five to ten kilometers along the north-eastern border. According to regional governor Oleh Synegubov, Ukrainian troops were able to repel two Russian breakthrough attempts on Saturday night. The situation is "under control". The defensive positions near the city of Vovchansk are being reinforced.

Meanwhile, the Russian army announced the capture of the village of Staryzia. The units continued to advance in the area, the ministry announced on Saturday. 

What Russia is apparently trying to do
The aim of the Russian armed forces is presumably to establish a buffer zone and thus make Ukrainian attacks on Russian territory more difficult. The Kharkiv region borders directly on Russia. According to the US Institute for the Study of War, Russian troops primarily want to keep the Ukrainian armed forces in the Kharkiv region in check in order to launch more massive attacks in other eastern areas of Ukraine. Russia wants to take complete control of the annexed but so far only partially occupied regions of Donetsk and Luhansk.