‘Russian military has reportedly begun to withdraw from Kharkiv space throughout the border’

For days, it’s appeared each story about exercise in Kharkiv has included the phrase “and we don’t truly know what’s taking place on the west financial institution of the Siverskyi Donets River.” After racing up the river to shock everybody by grabbing Staryi Saltiv, Ukrainian forces then started shelling the world surrounding the bridge close to Rubiznhe. When that bridge was blown, shells started falling farther north close to Starytsya. However did that imply Ukrainian forces had been racing up the river? Have been they shifting forces out of the world after failing to seize an intact bridge?

Why not possibility C? Ukrainian forces right this moment pushed by way of Russian positions to succeed in … Russia.

In one other large and surprising transfer, Ukrainian forces have reportedly minimize a path 18km northwest of Staryi Saltiv and recaptured the city of Ternova together with the encircling territory. If true, which means Russian-occupied territory inside Ukraine is not contiguous, however has been cut up on the north finish. 

Assuming Ukrainian forces have taken the areas as described, it isn’t the primary time that Ukraine has reached the Russian border, after all. Ukraine already managed the Russian border area all the best way from simply east of Chernahiv within the north down to only outdoors Kozacha Lopan north of Kharkiv. However there’s little doubt that any motion at Ternova is making Russia gulp. Not solely does it place Ukrainian forces on the border in a location very near vital Russian provide traces, Ukraine has twice in the previous couple of days demonstrated the power to maneuver rapidly, shock Russian troops, and seize a big chunk of territory in an surprising course.

As well as, Ukraine reportedly took villages like Slobozhanske and Pytomynk, tightening down the house nonetheless occupied by Russian forces. There’s nonetheless preventing simply outdoors of Lyptsi, and whether or not Russia nonetheless controls Petrivka … who is aware of? There’s a great likelihood that if Russian forces are nonetheless there, it received’t keep that manner for lengthy.

Maybe one of the best factor about Ukrainian forces unexpectedly shifting to recapture Ternova is that it places us proper again into the place we had been on this morning — we do not know what Ukrainian forces on this space are going to do subsequent. Neither does Russia.

Not solely does this aspect by aspect from @war_mapper offer you a thumbnail view of progress north of Kharkiv, the dots he has right here for cities and villages offers a great sense of simply what number of totally different areas have been liberated on this transient interval of excessive exercise. I often take recaptured cities from previous days off the map, leaving simply these websites across the entrance line, to make every day’s actions extra legible, however it’s good to see all of them right here.

MilitaryLand.web is out with their day by day abstract. Nonetheless, they put this collectively earlier than the information about Ternova was firmed up. So, whereas they nonetheless report appreciable exercise north of Kharkiv, it’s not fairly as thrilling because it may very well be. That mentioned, their report does embody this candy line: “The Russian military has reportedly begun to withdraw from the Kharkiv space throughout the border again to Russia.”

That will appear to be value a stable huzzah.

Elsewhere, they report on Russia capturing Velyka Komyshuvakha west of Izyum, a course of that’s been underway for the previous couple of days. Exterior of that small change, the message in different areas is similar: Russia attacked, however Ukrainian troops efficiently repelled the assaults. That additionally appears to be true within the space of Popasna, the place Russia has not but been in a position to exploit Ukrainian forces departing from the closely broken city.