UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Dec 17 – The Russian army lost 105 troops in the Kharkiv direction over the past day. In addition, the Ukrainian army took eight Russian servicemen prisoner, reported the “Kharkiv” group of forces. 

Russia started its offensive north and northeast in the Kharkiv region on May 10, but Ukrainian troops have stabilized the frontline in this section since. Now, heavy battles are ongoing in and around Vovchansk (three miles from the border, 46 miles away from Kharkiv) and near Lyptsi (six miles from the border, 12 miles from Kharkiv.)

The “Kharkiv” reports that on the Kharkiv axis, Russian forces used bombers and assault aviation to attack near the settlement of Vovchansk. 

Over the past day, in the Kharkiv direction, Russian troops conducted five airstrikes using seven glide bombs (KABs) and 27 unguided missiles and launched 54 kamikaze drone strikes. In total, Russian troops fired 368 times at Ukrainian positions. 

However, the “Kharkiv” reported that the Russian army lost 66 units of weapons and military equipment, including two armored combat vehicles, one artillery system, 21 vehicles, one anti-tank vehicle, one air defense vehicle, and 40 unmanned aerial vehicles.

Also, the Ukrainian army destroyed 74 shelters for Russian military personnel in the Kharkiv direction.

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  • On December 15, Russian military bloggers claimed that the Russian army had captured the village of Dvorichna in Kharkiv region, which is located north of Kupiansk. However, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War do not confirm this information.