Russia Continues Attacks on Kharkiv Despite Kursk Attack, No Signs of Easing Military Pressure in Eastern Ukraine
On August 15, the Kharkiv region government in Ukraine announced that Russian guided bomb attacks had left at least two people dead and 12 injured. Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov said the attack targeted a civilian enterprise in the Kupiansk district. Regional prosecutors reported that a warehouse was set on fire and six employees were injured. Regional police also reported that six others, including a 12-year-old from the village of Zolochiv, were injured, along with extensive damage to administrative buildings, a kindergarten, and more than 20 private homes.
Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, has long been the target of attacks from Russia. Despite the Kursk offensive more than a week ago, Russian military pressure in eastern Ukraine has not eased. Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Dmytro Lykhoviy said the heaviest fighting is currently taking place near Pokrovsk and there is no sign of Russian military pressure easing. Lykhoviy also said that while Russia has moved some troops from southern Ukraine, this is not a major redeployment.
Serhiy Tsehotskiy of Ukraine’s 59th Mechanized Brigade confirmed that Russian pressure in Donetsk, where Russia has focused its attacks for months, has not eased. He said the Russian military is using all available reserves and is putting “real pressure” on Ukraine. The Ukrainian General Staff reported 58 battles between Kiev and Moscow forces near the city of Pokrovsk, the highest number this month. The head of the military administration in Pokrovsk, Serhiy Dobriak, has called on local residents to evacuate for safety.
Photo: REUTERS, AFP
