Defense forces have managed to stabilize situation in north of Kharkiv region. Deepest point of enemy advance is 10 km - Zelenskyy
During the offensive in the north of Kharkiv region, the Russian army advanced no more than 10 kilometres. Our Defence Forces have stabilised the situation. The Russians have only reached the first of three lines of fortifications.
According to Censor.NET, citing RBC-Ukraine, the President of Ukraine said this at a meeting with journalists.
According to him, he had a substantive meeting with the Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi, the Commander of the Joint Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Yuriy Sodol, General Mykhailo Drapatyi, the Head of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Serhiy Deineko and representatives of the National Police.
Stabilisation in the Kharkiv region
"Today, our Defence Forces have stabilised the Russians where they are now. The deepest point of their advance is 10 kilometres. In the directions of some enemy brigades, there is no advance at all - and there has never been one," Zelenskyy stressed.
The President noted that Ukraine has very powerful brigades.
"I am grateful to them. Now we have reinforced several areas with separate battalions - something that could have been taken from the reserve and from some areas," the Head of State noted.
Zelenskyy said that Russians crossing the border was due to a lack of air defence.
"They are at a distance where they have an advantage, using air bombs and artillery. Eight months of pause in decision-making by our partners. It is clear that it was not easy for our soldiers," he said.
Fortifications in the Kharkiv region
He also said that "no one has reached the concrete defence line".
"It's nonsense what they are saying. The enemy has reached the first line. The first line is not the border, it is impossible to build there because our people were killed by the weapons used by the Russians. They (the Russians - ed.) are approximately there now. This is the first line, the line that was built in the war, under constant fire, by our military. The first and second lines are built by the military, and the third line is built by local authorities. It is the most powerful - not because they are better than the military, but simply because it is further away from weapons, from shells, from shelling," Zelenskyy said.
Russians' target is Vovchansk
As the president noted,"Vovchansk is their target, of course."
"In addition to the fact that they want a 10-kilometre zone, they want to always build on the success, if there is one. But the main thing for today is that our Defence Forces have stabilised the situation," Zelenskyy added.
