UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, June 3 — Russian forces increased their activity in the Kupiansk direction and have already conducted 11 attacks on  Ukrainian positions 11 times, the General Staff reports.

On May 10, Russia launched a new ground offensive north and northeast of the Kharkiv region, in the Vovchansk and Lyptsi directions. Military analysts and the Ukrainian military said Russia’s main goal in a new offensive would be to stretch Ukrainian troops and resources and force Ukraine to pull forces away from Donetsk Oblast and other directions, such as the Kupiansk axis.

General Staff says that, since the beginning of the day, there have been 73 combat engagements along the frontline in Ukraine. The highest intensity of fighting was recorded in the Pokrovsk (Donetsk region) and Kupiansk directions.

Currently, three combat engagements are ongoing on the border of Kharkiv and Luhansk regions near Stelmakhivka, Berestove, and Terny on the Kupiansk axis.

According to the General Staff’s data, Russia has not conducted assaults in the Kharkiv direction (where Vovchansk and Lyptsi are) since the beginning of the day. The Ukrainian troops continue to build up their defensive capabilities there.

The Russian military recently slightly advanced southwest of Vovchansk, northeast of Kharkiv, the US Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on June 2.

As the ISW informed, geolocated footage published on June 2 shows that Russian forces recently advanced slightly in the fields north and east of Starytsia, southwest of Vovchansk, and northeast of Kharkiv.

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