UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, Nov 8 – Street clashes are ongoing in Vovchansk, said Yevhenii Romanov, a spokesman for the “Kharkiv” group of forces, in a commentary to Gwara Media.

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 city is in ruins. The Russians are trying to advance, then gain a foothold and advance village by village, city by city, and reach Kharkiv,” Romanov said.

Over the past day, Yevhenii Romanov said, the Russian military conducted nine airstrikes in the Kharkiv direction using 16 glide bombs and 16 unguided missiles and launched 47 kamikaze drone strikes. In total, the Russian army fired 370 times at the positions of the Ukrainian military within the frontline north of Kharkiv.

In addition, the Russians have recently used a multiple rocket launcher system, the “Solntsepek” [Russian heavy flamethrower systems of 220-mm caliber — ed.]

According to Yevhenii Romanov, the Russian army used scorched earth tactics to leave no fortifications or rear buildings for the infantry to use [in case of Ukraine’s counteroffensive — ed.]. The main areas of Russian pressure are Vovchansk and Lyptsi because it is more convenient for Russian troops to advance through these settlements and roads.

In the Kharkiv direction, the Russians lost 57 people over the past day, “Kharkiv” adds. The Russian army also lost 30 weapons and military equipment units, including one artillery system, four vehicles, one special equipment unit, and 24 unmanned aerial vehicles.

Yevhenii Romanov said that in the Kharkiv direction, Russian troops’ assault operations cannot gain momentum because it is impossible for a large number of personnel to gain a foothold amidst ruins left after constant Russian attacks. 

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