Russian forces launched a surprise offensive on Friday in the north of the Kharkiv region, on the Russian-Ukrainian border.
Fighting is intensifying in the Kharkiv region, where the Ukrainian general staff reported around a hundred ground battles on Friday, seven missiles launched, around a hundred airstrikes and more than 120 rounds of missile fire. rockets on Ukrainian positions and populated areas.
Regional governor Oleh Synehoubov announced the evacuation of nearly 1,800 people, indicating that around thirty localities had been affected.
The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) discusses “significant tactical gains” for the Russian army which aims, according to him, to “divert Ukrainian personnel and equipment” For “advance into other regions of eastern Ukraine.”
The ISW believes that this offensive is therefore not aimed at “capture Kharkiv.”
New American aid
The United States also announced on Friday a new envelope of 400 million dollars in military aid to Ukraine.
This is the third tranche of aid to Ukraine since Congress passed additional funding in late April, after months of stalling.
The package includes high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) and rockets for these systems, as well as ammunition for the Patriot and National Advanced surface-to-air missile systems, artillery, anti-aircraft and anti-tank ammunition, and a range of armored vehicles, such as Bradleys and Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles.
It will also supply a number of coastal and river patrol boats, trailers, demolition munitions, high-speed anti-radiation missiles, protective equipment, spare parts and other weapons and equipment.
The weapons are being sent under the President’s troop reduction authority, which allows systems and munitions to be removed from existing U.S. stockpiles in order to send them quickly to the war front.
Also Friday, the State Department approved a proposed emergency sale of HIMARS to Ukraine for an estimated $30 million. The State Department said Ukraine had requested to purchase three of the rocket systems, which would be financed by the German government.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken considered that an emergency existed justifying the “immediate sale” to Ukraine. The systems will come from the Army inventory.