Russia is at the moment not looking for to seize Ukraine’s second-largest metropolis of Kharkiv, President Vladimir Putin has claimed.
“There are not any such plans right this moment,” he stated on the finish of his go to to China.
However he confused that Russian forces have been advancing within the north-eastern Kharkiv area to create a “safety zone” for Russia’s personal safety.
Ukraine says the entrance line has stabilised, admitting that Russia has occupied a lot of border villages.
Russia launched its offensive within the area final week, and fierce avenue combating has been reported for the previous a number of days in the important thing city of Vovchansk close to the Russian border.
On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky claimed that Russian troops had solely managed to advance to the primary of Ukraine’s three defensive traces within the area.
Comparable feedback have been made by Ukraine’s high commander Oleksandr Syrskyi, who stated the “enemy has prolonged the lively fight zone to just about 70km (43 miles)” within the area.
In a single day, Kharkiv – which had a pre-war inhabitants of almost 1.4 million – once more got here below Russian drone assault and shelling, native officers stated. The technological and industrial hub lies about 30km from the Russian border.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of its neighbour is now in its third 12 months, and there are at the moment no indicators that the conflict – the bloodiest battle in Europe since World Struggle Two – might finish any time quickly.
