Russian attack from north continues to worsen, says Ukraine’s spymaster Budanov
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The Russian attack from the north continues, and the problems tend to worsen, the head of Ukraine’s Defense Intelligence (HUR), Kyrylo Budanov, said in an interview with NV on July 13.
Stressing that the Russian attack from the north continues, Budanov declined to tell NV whether it will expand to the Sumy or Chernihiv sectors.
"If I start answering this question, we will provoke panic," the spy chief said.
“Let's just say there are problems, and they tend to get worse. There is no catastrophe, but it is impossible not to see the problems. I already told someone from the Western press: I will not have a lot of good news this year, unfortunately.”
Russian offensive in Kharkiv Oblast
Russian forces attempted to breach Ukraine's defenses near Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast on May 10, according to the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. Ukrainian forces successfully repelled the attacks.
At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported that Russian troops had launched a new counteroffensive in the area.
Monitoring groups noted that several villages in northern Kharkiv Oblast were occupied.
Oleksandr Syrskyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, described the situation in Kharkiv Oblast as "escalating." He stated that Russian troops had extended the active combat zone by 70 km.
A spokesman for the Khortytsia Strategic and Operational Troop Grouping said the Ukrainian Armed Forces had stabilized the situation in Vovchansk on May 21.
Ukraine had recaptured some territory in Vovchansk, according to the U.S.-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), as of May 23.
As of May 24, the General Staff stated that Ukrainian forces had stopped Russian troops in the Kharkiv sector and were conducting counteroffensives.
"The Ukrainian Armed Forces had taken combat control of the border of Kharkiv Oblast," stated Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Losses during the Russian offensive there reportedly amounted to eight enemy soldiers for every one Ukrainian.
The spokesperson for the Kharkiv operational and tactical troop grouping, Yuriy Povkh, said on May 30 that the Ukrainian Armed Forces controlled 70% of the town of Vovchansk. On June 8, the Khortytsia operational and strategic troop grouping stated that the Ukrainian military was in full control of most of Vovchansk.
Zelenskyy said on June 17 that the Ukrainian military is gradually pushing the Russian invasion forces out of Kharkiv Oblast.
The Kharkiv troop grouping reported on July 2 that the Russian army had moved three assault groups to Vovchansk, Kharkiv Oblast, to replenish their losses.
The Kharkiv troop grouping stated on July 13 that Russia is trying to regroup its units in the direction of Lyptsi and in Vovchansk, Kharkiv Oblast, and is preparing units for attacks in the settlement.
In mid-May, Budanov said that Russian attacks in Kharkiv Oblast would continue "for another three to four days," after which Russian troops are expected to "make a decisive offensive in the direction of Sumy."
After that, the head of the Sumy Oblast Military Administration, Volodymyr Artyukh, asserted during the national telethon program that the situation in the region was under control and that the construction of defensive structures was almost complete.
The deputy head of the Sumy District Council, Volodymyr Bitsak, said on May 15 that the Russians would not have enough forces to attack Sumy, Kharkiv, and the eastern regions of Ukraine at the same time.
The Sumy Oblast Military Administration reported on May 17 that about 200 children had been evacuated from the frontline areas of the region during the three days of the planned evacuation.
The spokesperson for the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine, Andriy Demchenko, said on May 21 that an offensive by Russian forces in Sumy Oblast should not be ruled out.
The enemy may at any time, even though it does not have sufficient forces, reportedly try to do something similar to the offensive in the Kharkiv sector.
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