The Russian military has “failed” to extend its offensive in the Kharkiv region, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a video message.
After speaking with military commanders, he stated that Ukrainian forces are holding back Russian advances in that area and are destroying Russian units that have entered and terrorized the Kharkiv region.
Zelensky said that this constitutes a “very significant result.”
Earlier, on May 10, Russian forces launched an offensive in the Kharkiv region, along the Russian-Ukrainian border, a move analysts described as an attempt to create a “neutral zone” to protect Russian territory.
Reports of fierce fighting have emerged around the town of Vovchansk, which the Ukrainian military said is under their control.
On May 17, the commander of the Ukrainian army, Oleksandr Syrskiy, said that Russia had expanded the offensive along a 70-kilometer line in an effort to force Ukraine to engage its reserves.
A day earlier, U.S. President Joe Biden said from France that the Kremlin would not stop at Ukraine if it wins.
Russian President Vladimir “Putin will not stop at Ukraine… All of Europe is threatened. We will not let that happen,” Biden said.
“The United States is supporting Ukraine. We will not abandon it, I repeat.”
In addition to the $61 billion in military aid to Ukraine approved by the U.S. Congress earlier this year, Biden also introduced another package worth $225 million that includes ammunition, missiles, mortars, artillery, and air defense missiles.
The war in Ukraine began on February 24, 2022.
Russian President Vladimir Putin calls the war a “special military operation” to demilitarize Ukraine.
The West has responded to Russia by hitting the country’s economy with harsh sanctions.
As a result of the war, thousands of people have died and millions have been displaced from their homes.