New Delhi: There were very few significant developments Saturday in terms of territorial gains on either side, but Russia has reportedly captured the village of Dovhen’ke in Kharkiv Oblast, 26 km south of the Ukrainian city of Izyum – which is already under Russian occupation, having taken over soon after the invasion started on 24 February.
Illustration by Prajna Ghosh | ThePrint
Updates:
?? has taken control of Dovhen'ke
?? has strengthened its position around Lyman and may have taken control of some settlements to its North pic.twitter.com/62h493EKhu
In light of the Russian offensive, the governor of Kharkiv Oblast Oleg Sinegubov Saturday announced via Telegram that Ukrainian forces are undertaking a counteroffensive on Izyum, located in the eastern part of the country.
Illustration by Prajna Ghosh | ThePrint
“Russian forces did not conduct active offensive operations around Izyum, continuing to shell and reconnoiter Ukrainian positions south and west of the settlement,” the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said.
The Institute further claimed that Russian preparations are underway for the battle of Severodonetsk in Luhansk Oblast, the easternmost province of Ukraine.
Illustration by Prajna Ghosh | ThePrint
“Luhansk Oblast Administration Head Serhiy Haidai reported that Russian forces attempted to secure access to the T1303 Lysychansk-bound highway east of Popasna on 13 May. [10] Haidai noted that Ukrainian artillery continues to repel Russian advances on Severodonetsk itself from the north but noted that Russians had accumulated a large amount of equipment in the area to break Ukrainian resistance,” the ISW added.
According to a prominent independent war mapper, Severodonetsk is still under Ukraine’s control but surrounded by Russia which had not only captured Rubizhne to the north but also Popasna to the south.
A map of the approximate situation on the ground in Ukraine as of 00:00 UTC 15/05/22. pic.twitter.com/FnRlRGaz7E
