Zelenskiy travels to Kharkiv amid Russian offensive in region’s north
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy travelled to Kharkiv on Thursday, days after Russia opened up a new front in the war with an incursion across the border in the north of the region.
Zelenskiy posted to Telegram to say that he had held a meeting there with senior leaders, posting that:
As of today, the situation in Kharkiv oblast is generally under control, our soldiers are inflicting significant losses on the occupier. But the direction remains extremely difficult – we are strengthening our units.
He said that during the meeting, which included commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, discussions included “in detail the prospects of the combat situation, the threats in the coming days and weeks, and our, Ukrainian, opportunities to counter Russian offensive plans.”
A handout photo from the office of the Ukrainian president of Volodymyr Zelenskiy at a meeting in Kharkiv Photograph: Office of the Ukrainian president
Key events
Georgia’s President, Salome Zourabichvili, has said that a “foreign influence” bill passed by parliament that critics call a threat to free speech is “unacceptable.”
In an interview with The Associated Press, she harshly criticised the ruling Georgian Dream party for pushing the bill that also is widely seen as a threat to Georgia’s aspirations to join the European Union.
Huge crowds of protesters have blocked streets in the capital of Tbilisi and milled angrily outside the parliament building after lawmakers approved the legislation despite strong criticism from the US and the European Union. Zourabichvili, who is increasingly at odds with the governing party, vows to veto the bill, but Georgian Dream has enough votes to override her.
The opposition has denounced the bill as “the Russian law” because Moscow uses similar legislation to crack down on independent news media, nonprofits and activists critical of the Kremlin.
Dan Sabbagh
Our defence and security editor Dan Sabbagh has this analysis of the current military situation in Ukraine:
Russia’s attack across the border north and north-west of Kharkiv was telegraphed by Moscow, predicted by western intelligence and anticipated by Ukraine. The fact that Russian forces have been able to advance about 4 miles at multiple points in five days raises serious questions about Kyiv’s ability to defend itself.
An intention to create “a sanitary zone” along the border inside Ukraine was signalled by Vladimir Putin in March. A month later Sergei Lavrov, the foreign minister, highlighted that Kharkiv had an “important role” in such a strategy as the region was reeling from bombing that had knocked out two power stations on 22 March.
At the same time, Moscow’s military had been building up its new Northern Group of forces, estimated by the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) at 30,000 strong, in Russia’s Belgorod region. Last week, two days before the dawn assault, Kharkiv’s regional governor said a massing of forces had been spotted.
A warning was also passed, one source added, from UK defence intelligence to Ukraine’s leadership. So when on 5am last Friday, somewhere between 5,000 and 10,000 Russian soldiers crossed the border at two key points, it might have been expected that the attack would be swiftly repulsed.
Zelenskiy travels to Kharkiv amid Russian offensive in region’s north
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy travelled to Kharkiv on Thursday, days after Russia opened up a new front in the war with an incursion across the border in the north of the region.
Zelenskiy posted to Telegram to say that he had held a meeting there with senior leaders, posting that:
As of today, the situation in Kharkiv oblast is generally under control, our soldiers are inflicting significant losses on the occupier. But the direction remains extremely difficult – we are strengthening our units.
He said that during the meeting, which included commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrskyi, discussions included “in detail the prospects of the combat situation, the threats in the coming days and weeks, and our, Ukrainian, opportunities to counter Russian offensive plans.”
A handout photo from the office of the Ukrainian president of Volodymyr Zelenskiy at a meeting in Kharkiv Photograph: Office of the Ukrainian president
AFP is reporting that by its estimates, Russian forces have advanced 278 square kilometres in their week-old offensive in Ukraine’s northeastern Kharkiv region and in the south, which represents their biggest gains in a year-and-a-half of grinding warfare.
Its analysis of data produced by the the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) claims that since the start of 2024, Russian forces have taken about 800 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory – more than the about 600 square kilometres gained in all of 2023.
The changes to the frontline, which had barely budged in over a year, remain limited however, the analysis says, with Russia’s gains accounting for less than one percent of the Ukrainian territory under Moscow’s control.
AFP says its calculations are based on files published daily by the US-based ISW, which produces data based on information published by both parties to the war as well as on satellite images of Ukraine.
Ukraine claims to have reduced the tempo of Russian offensive in Kharkiv
The Ukrainian military said its defensive actions had forced Russian troops to reduce the tempo of their offensive in Kharkiv region’s north on Thursday.
The military said it continued combat in the northern part of the city of Vovchansk in Kharkiv region, with the situation under control, Reuters report.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said in a report published yesterday that it did not believe Russia forces had advanced more than eight kilometres inside Ukraine from the Russian border with its new northern incursion.
AFP quoted a Ukrainian military spokesperson saying “The situation in the Kharkiv sector remains complicated but is evolving in a dynamic manner. Our defence forces have partially stabilised the situation. The advance of the enemy in certain zones and localities has been halted.”
It reported they added Russian forces were “always trying to create conditions for new advances” and added that Kyiv’s troops were “trying to stabilise the situation, inflict damage and prevent the enemy from gaining ground”.
The claims have not been independently verified.
Ukrinform reports, citing Oleh Syniehubov, the head of the Kharkiv region, that in the past 24 hours one person was killed and 13 others were injured in the region. He said overnight a five-storey building and eight cars were damaged in Kharkiv by a missile strike.
Vyacheslav Volodin, the chair of the Duma in Russia, has warned that Ukraine is dragging the US and Europe into a big war, and western leaders needed to avoid a major global catastrophe, according to Reuters.
Tass quoted him saying that any use of western weapons against peaceful Russian cities will entail the retaliatory use of more powerful weapons to protect Russians.
Volodin is also reported to have said that the state Duma is ready to help the new defence minister, Andrei Belousov.
Russia claims to have detained two Ukrainian agents accused of sabotage in Crimea
Russia’s Federal Security Service said on Thursday it had detained Ukrainian agents in Crimea, which Russia unilaterally annexed from Ukraine in 2014.
One of them admitted to having transferred information on air defence systems protecting the Crimean Bridge, Reuters reports, citing Russian state news agency RIA.
State-owned news agency Tass is also reporting that the pair had attempted to blow up railway lines on the peninsula.
Putin says relationship between Russia and China is ‘one of main stabilising factors in international arena’
Russian president Vladimir Putin has thanked his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for what he said was China’s role in trying to solve the Ukraine crisis.
In a joint appearance in Beijing, the two leaders and other senior officials from both sides signed documents on deepening mutual cooperation between the two countries.
Putin said negotiations between the two delegations had been warm and businesslike.
Russian state news agency RIA-Novosti quoted Putin as saying that Russia-China relations are “not directed against anyone. Our cooperation in world affairs today is one of the main stabilising factors in the international arena,” and Putin complimented Xi on China’s belt and road initiative.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin (L) and China’s President Xi Jinping shake hands prior to their talks in Beijing. Photograph: Sergei Guneyev/AFP/Getty Images
Putin said “Together, we uphold the principles of justice and a democratic world order that reflects multipolar realities and is based on international law.”
Xi said the two countries were furthering their relationship as “good neighbours, good friends, good partners”, and that China hopes for the speedy restoration of peace and stability in Europe. He said his country would continue to play a constructive role.
Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin have shaken hands and the joint event in Beijing is over.
In a lengthy speech at this event in Beijing, Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has said that business contacts between Russia and China are “reliably protected from the negative influence of third countries”, which can be taken to be a swipe at US-led sanctions against the Russian economy after its invasion of Ukraine.
He also said that Russian and Chinese banks would be strengthening their contacts.
Russian state-owned media RIA has quoted the opening of Putin’s speech, saying that the Russian president thanked Xi for the warm welcome in China, and said talks had been conducted in a friendly and businesslike atmosphere. He said Moscow and Beijing attach great importance to the partnership.