Kharkiv's struggle: Russian advance slows, evacuations surge

According to the latest report by the American Institute for the Study of War (ISW), Russian forces have moved no further than 8 kilometres from the international border in the northern part of the Kharkiv region.

The tempo of Russian offensive operations in northern Kharkiv Oblast continues to decrease after Russian forces initially seized areas that Ukrainian officials have now confirmed were less defended - write analysts from ISW.

"Russian forces operating in Russia could easily conduct artillery strikes against Ukrainian defensive positions close to the international border, and Western prohibitions on the use of Western-provided weapons systems for strikes against rear Russian areas across the border make potential fixed Ukrainian defensive positions close to the international border vulnerable and possibly indefensible" - reads the report of the American Institute for the Study of War.

As indicated, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the Ukrainian military have stated that Ukrainian forces have partially stabilized the northern Kharkiv region bordering Russia.

Close to 8,000 civilians have been evacuated so far from areas in the northern Kharkiv region intensely attacked by Russia - reported on Wednesday by the head of the military authorities of the region, Oleg Sinehubov.

He added that in the last 24 hours, the city of Kharkiv was the target of six rounds of bombing by the Russians. S-300 missiles, UMBP D-30 shells, and strike drones were used for the attack. As a result of these actions, 22 people were injured.

According to Ukrainian and Western sources, Russian forces intend to create a 10-kilometre buffer zone in the Kharkiv region, which would put Kharkiv within the range of Russian gun artillery, while Russian logistic centres would be out of reach for Ukrainian forces.