MOSCOW, May 15 (Reuters) – Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday its troops had taken control of three Ukrainian villages, two in the Kharkiv region and the third in the Zaporizhia region.
According to the ministry, Russian forces on the offensive in the border area north of Kharkiv occupied the villages of Hlyboke and Lukyantsi after intense fighting and repelled Ukrainian counterattacks in other sectors of this part of the front. .
The Ukrainian army said Tuesday evening that it had withdrawn to “more advantageous” defensive positions in two sectors of the Kharkiv region, without knowing whether they are the same.
Reuters is unable to verify the situation on the ground.
Although limited for the moment, this offensive in the Kharkiv region is taken seriously enough in Kyiv that President Volodimir Zelensky has decided to postpone a trip to Spain and Portugal planned for the weekend.
The Russian Defense Ministry also declared that its troops had taken “full control” of the village of Robotyne, reconquered by the Ukrainian army during its counter-offensive last summer in the Zaporizhia region.
This is not the first time that Moscow has claimed control of Robotyne.
The Ukrainian general staff, for its part, said on Wednesday that it had repelled three Russian attacks in this direction. (Moscow and Kyiv offices, French version Tangi Salaün, edited by Kate Entringer)
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