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Russians try to break through Ukrainian defence lines north of Kharkiv:

Kyiv says initial attacks repelled as Russia seeks to intensify pressure on Ukraine’s second city

Russian forces have attacked across the Ukrainian border to the north of Kharkiv in a potential effort to open a new front in the war and intensify the pressure on Ukraine’s second city.

Ukraine’s defence ministry said there had been “an attempt by the enemy to break through our defence line using armoured vehicles” at about 5am on Friday near the town of Vovchansk, and the initial attacks had been repelled.

There were also reports of fighting in the border villages of Strilecha, Pylna and Borysivka farther west, and that Russian forces had advanced by about 1km around Vovchansk, though these could not be confirmed.

Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said his country’s forces had been ready for the attack. “Ukraine met them there with troops – brigades and artillery,” he said at a press conference in Kyiv, though he warned that Russia could send more troops to support its fresh attack.

The influential Russian military blogger Rybar described the attack as a “reconnaissance in force” rather than a full-scale assault, and described the battle zone as being expanded to “a depth of 2-3km” in some border areas. Attacks were aimed at Ukrainian artillery points to weaken defences, the blogger added.

Russia has been gradually intensifying military operations around Kharkiv over the past month, taking advantage of limited Ukrainian air defences to bomb in and around the city in an attempt to persuade more of its 1.3 million residents to flee and turn it into an increasingly depopulated grey zone.

Kharkiv, about 20 miles south of the Russian border, firmly resisted the initial invasion in the spring of 2022. A lightning Ukrainian counteroffensive in September of that year pushed back Moscow’s forces well beyond the range of artillery fire, encouraging many more civilians to return.

Oleh Syniehubov, the governor of Kharkiv oblast, said there had been heavy Russian shelling in the border areas for the past day, and he appealed to residents around Vovchansk and Lyptsi to leave their homes. Earlier this week, Syniehubov said a buildup of Russian forces south of Belgorod had been spotted. --->READ MORE HERE

Photo:REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova/File Photo

Ukrainian defenders repel major Russian breakthrough attempt near Vovchansk, battles ongoing – Latest updates

Russian troops attempted to breach the Ukrainian defensive line near Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast around 5 a.m. on May 10, but were successfully repelled by the Ukrainian military, according to reports by Ukraine’s Defense Ministry.

As night fell, the enemy, supported by artillery, increased fire pressure on the front line of Ukrainian defense. And at about 5 a.m. on May 10, an attempt to break through the Ukrainian defense line under the cover of armored vehicles took place.

“As of now, these attacks have been repelled, and fighting of varying intensity continues,” the Defense Ministry said on May 10 at around 1 p.m.

Reserve units have been sent to the Vovchansk front, as the Ukrainian Armed Forces are holding back the offensive.

The Defense Ministry also confirmed the intensification of shelling of Vovchansk during the day, including the use of guided aerial bombs.

At least two deaths have been reported by the regional administration. Another two people have been confirmed wounded in Vovchansk, according to local police. --->READ MORE HERE