In response to Kyiv’s claims that it has retaken dozens of settlements as part of a larger counteroffensive, Russia announced on Friday that it was deploying reinforcements to the Kharkiv region in eastern Ukraine.
In his evening address, President Volodymyr Zelensky noted that Ukrainian forces had retaken 30 locations from Russian forces.
“We are gradually taking control over new settlements. We are returning the Ukrainian flag and protection for our citizens everywhere,” he said, calling on Ukrainians to report any crimes committed by the occupying forces.
As part of an investigation into a potential war crime, Ukrainian authorities in the Kharkiv region recently excavated two remains from a village that had recently been taken back from Russia.
During the first several weeks of Russia’s invasion, there was severe combat in the village of Grakove.
Military vehicles in the Kharkiv region were seen going on both paved and unpaved roads while bearing the letter “Z,” which represents Moscow’s invasion.
A Moscow-installed official, Vitaliy Ganchev, said in televised remarks that “fierce battles” were under way near the town of Balakliya, which Ukraine said it had recaptured on Thursday.
“We do not control Balakliya. Attempts are being made to dislodge the Ukrainian forces, but there are fierce battles, and our troops are being held back on the approaches,” Ganchev said.
“Now Russian reserves have been brought there, our troops are fighting back,” he added.
