UKRAINE, KHARKIV OBLAST, June 13 — The number of Russian attacks in Kharkiv has significantly decreased after the Ukrainian military destroyed four S-300 launchers in the Belgorod region (Russia), said Oleh Syniehubov, Kharkiv Oblast Governor, on Ukrainian TV.

Russia attacks Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city 19 miles from the state border, and its suburbs frequently — even more so since the beginning of their new ground offensive from north and northeast of the Kharkiv region on May 10. 

“[Russians] are using fewer launchers, for sure. And all Kharkiv residents feel it. The enemy was striking Kharkiv every night and day, and now we can say that the number of attacks has decreased significantly. However, this night, the Russian military launched one S-300 strike on the Kharkiv region,” said Syniehubov.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported on June 12 that the Ukrainian forces targeted one S-300 air defense battery and two S-400 air defense batteries near occupied Belbek and Sevastopol in Crimea overnight. Geolocated imagery published on June 12 shows damaged and destroyed Russian S-300 assets north of occupied Yevpatoria and a destroyed Russian S-400 radar system south of occupied Dzhankoi.

On May 30, at 11:50 p.m., the Russian army attacked the Novobavarskyi district of the city with S-300 missiles, killing five people and injuring 26. The Russians also damaged more than 20 buildings.

Serhii Nykyforov, the spokesman for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, confirmed that the United States has authorized the use of its weapons to strike Russian territory. However, the Ukrainian army can use the weapons only near the Kharkiv region.

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