RIGHT SPEAK: UKR Stops RU's Active Advance in Kharkiv Region; UKR Thwarts RU's Attempts to Gain Foothold in Vovchansk; UKR Goes On Counteroffensive Near Vovchansk; RU Novorossiysk Port, Oil Depot Hit in Attack; Widespread Drone Attacks Target RU Regions and Crimea Overnight; RU LOSES: 1520 Sold, 19 Tanks, 30 Arm-Veh, 27 Art-Sys, LIVE UPDATES and LOTS MORE

Ukraine stops Russia's active advance in Kharkiv region, fighting ongoing in Vovchansk — military administration head:

The head of the Kharkiv regional military administration, Oleh Syniehubov, said that as of Thursday, May 16, the Ukrainian military had stopped the active advance of Russian troops in the Kharkiv region. At the same time, fighting is ongoing in the urban area of Vovchansk

Syniehubov shared the information on the United News telethon.

He noted that Russian forces advanced toward Luptsi village in the Luptsi sector. However, the Ukrainian Defense Forces managed to restrain Russia’s active advance.

“Our soldiers, although it cannot be said that they have stabilized the front line, have stopped the enemy's active advance across the Kharkiv region. In some areas, our soldiers managed to regain a more favorable position and are inflicting damage on enemy manpower, military equipment and weapons in large numbers,” said Syniehubov.

He pointed out that because of this, Russian troops are forced to pull up reserves to maintain their offensive potential. However, the Ukrainian Defense Forces are tasked with stabilizing the front line. In addition, according to Syniehubov, Russiais actually trying to destroy Vovchansk. The town is constantly under fire, and fighting continues in its buildings.

“Our soldiers are defending our territory every day, every hour, every minute. They are recapturing the land occupied by the enemy in order to reduce the ‘gray zone’ that has now formed in the northern part of the territory. We have developed updated evacuation routes, we have agreements with Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukraine’s state-owned railways operator) on evacuation trains,” the head of the region added. --->READ MORE HERE

Francis Farrell/The Kyiv Independent

General Staff: Ukraine thwarts Russia's attempts to gain foothold in Vovchansk:

Ukrainian troops thwarted Russia's plans to gain a foothold in deeper urban areas in the town of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine's General Staff reported on May 16.

Russia launched a new offensive with a reported 30,000 troops on May 10, targeting Kharkiv Oblast, which is situated near the two countries' shared border in northeastern Ukraine.

Ukrainian forces stabilized the situation on May 15 in the region amid Russia's attempts to break through, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Russian troops were "partially pushed out" from the town and "significantly decreased their activity" in the Kharkiv sector as of the morning of May 16, the General Staff said.

"The enemy's plans to advance deeper into the town of Vovchansk and gain a foothold there were thwarted," according to the military.

Ukrainian units continue to conduct combat missions within the urban area of Vovchansk's northern outskirts, keeping Russian soldiers under fire control, according to the General Staff.