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UPDATE ON THE SITUATION – The surprise cross-border land offensive carried out by Russia since Friday has led to population displacements in the Kharkiv region.
Hundreds of people have been evacuated from areas near the Russian border in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region where Russian forces are carrying out a surprise ground offensive. Moscow also claims to have “released” six villages located in the east of the country. Le Figaro takes stock of the latest events linked to the conflict.
Three dead, eight injured in Ukrainian strike on restaurant in Donetsk
At least three people were killed and eight others injured on Saturday in a Ukrainian strike on a restaurant in Donetsk, a city occupied by Moscow in the eponymous Ukrainian region, in the east of the country.
“The Paradise restaurant, located in the Kirovsky district of Donetsk, was directly hit and three civilians were killed”the head of the Russian occupation of the region, Denis Pushilin, indicated on Telegram. “At present we are aware of eight injured”he added, specifying that the Ukrainian forces had used at least two missiles from American Himars rocket launchers.
Russian Defense Ministry says it ‘liberated’ six villages in eastern Ukraine
Russia’s Defense Ministry said Saturday its forces had taken control of six villages in eastern Ukraine.
The ministry said on Telegram that the troops had “released” the Ukrainian villages of Borisivka, Ogirtseve, Pletenivka, Pylna and Strilecha in the Kharkiv region, near the border with Russia, as well as the village of Keramik in the Donetsk region.
Hundreds of people flee the Kharkiv region
Hundreds of people have been evacuated from areas near the Russian border in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, the regional governor said on Saturday, May 11, the day after Russia launched a surprise cross-border ground offensive. “In total, 1,775 people were evacuated”Governor Oleg Synegubov wrote on social networks, adding that Russia had carried out artillery and mortar shelling on 30 localities in the region over the past 24 hours.
Russian forces have made small advances in the border area, from which they were pushed back almost two years ago. The Kharkiv region has largely been under Ukrainian control since September 2022. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reported Friday evening “intense fights” across the entire front line. A senior Ukrainian military source said Russian forces had advanced a kilometer into Ukraine and were trying to “create a buffer zone” in the Kharkiv region and the neighboring Sumy region in order to prevent attacks on Russian territory.
“Significant tactical gains” for the Russians
Authorities in kyiv have warned for weeks that Moscow could attempt to attack northeastern border regions, pushing its advantage, as Ukraine faces delays in Western aid and shortages of fighters . The Ukrainian military said it had deployed more troops to the region where, according to Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian forces are using artillery and drones to thwart the Russian advance. “Reserve units have been deployed to strengthen the defense in this area of the front”the army said.
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The American Institute for the Study of War estimated Friday that Russia had carried out “significant tactical gains”but that the main objective of the operation was “to attract Ukrainian human capabilities and equipment from other critical sectors of the front”. The ISW stated that it did not appear to be a “large-scale offensive operation aimed at enveloping, encircling and seizing Kharkiv”the second largest city in Ukraine.