UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Aug 20—The Russian army has increased aerial reconnaissance activity near Hlyboke and Vovchansk and is preparing for assault operations near Vovchansk, reported the “Kharkiv” group of forces. 

Russia started its new offensive north and northeast in the Kharkiv region in May, 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 military reported that near Hlyboke, the Russians also carried out inter-position movements of personnel and evacuation of casualties. They also rotated troops on their frontline positions near Starytsia.

The movement of personnel was also observed near Buhruvatka and Ohirtseve, “Kharkiv” reports. The Russian military was replenishing ammunition and food supplies.

In the area of Lyptsi, Russians are replacing their losses with new assault groups and doing logistics maintenance. In Vovchansk, the Russian army hit a multi-story building area with a TOS-1A flamethrower system.

Over the past day, the Russian military dropped two glide bombs (KABs) on Ukraine’s positions in the Kharkiv direction. They also conducted 56 kamikaze strikes and fired 443 times at the positions of the Defense Forces.

The Russian army lost 76 people in the Kharkiv direction over the day, one of whom was captured, “Kharkiv” reports. Also, the Ukrainian army destroyed and damaged 81 pieces of equipment, including one tank, 10 artillery systems, eight vehicles, five units of special equipment, and 57 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

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