UKRAINE, May 14 — Kyrylo Budanov, Chief of the Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (HUR), said in an interview with the New York Times that Ukrainian forces will be able to stabilize the front in the Kharkiv region within “three to four days.” But he expects Russia to conduct a new attack north of Kharkiv, in the Sumy region.

Budanov believes the Russian attacks in the northeast are intended to widen the front and divert Ukrainian reserves from fighting elsewhere. 

According to him, the Ukrainian army is trying to redeploy troops from other parts of the frontline to strengthen its defenses in the northeast, but it has been difficult to find personnel.

“All our forces are either here [in the Kharkiv region] or in Chasiv Yar [Donetsk region],” he said from a bunker in Kharkiv, “I have used everything we have [about manpower]. Unfortunately, we have no one else in reserve.”

On May 10, Russia launched a new ground offensive north and northeast of the Kharkiv region. The border communities came under heavy Russian shelling and air strikes with heavy glide bombs. 

The head of the Kharkiv garrison, Serhii Melnyk, reported that, during the day, the Ukrainian Defense Forces repelled Russian attacks in the Vovchansk and Lyptsi directions in the north and northeast of Kharkiv region.

Melnyk says the Ukrainian military held the defense near the settlements of Starytsia and Hlyboke and repelled the Russians’ attempts to advance towards Lyptsi. 

On the Vovchansk axis, the Ukrainian army is fighting off Russian attacks from Russia’s Shebekino and Nova Tovolzhanka and Ukraine’s Hatyshche. 

DeepState analysts report Russia captured Hatyshche and Ohirtseve on the Vovchansk axis. As of May 14, the Ukrainian military has not commented on the status of these settlements. 

Threat of reoccupation looms over Vovchansk as Russia launches new offensive on Kharkiv region. Gwara Media joined the evacuation mission on May 11 to talk to people who were leaving and staying in Vovchansk in the wake of the Russian assault on the city.   

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  • At around 6 a.m., Russians dropped bombs on the Kyivsky district of Kharkiv, injuring four people, said Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov.
  • On May 13, at about 4:34 p.m., the Russian military attacked a farm in Korotych, Kharkiv district, injuring four people and killing one, reported Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov.