British intel believes Russia not to succeed in creating “buffer zone” in north of Kharkiv region

That’s according to the British Ministry of Defense, Ukrinform reports.

As noted, the Russians continue to attack Vovchansk, but the Armed Forces repel most of these attempts.

The city is still being shelled, but the Ukrainian defense forces are repelling most of the attacks by the Russian troops, the British Ministry of Defense reports with reference to intelligence data.

Intelligence sources add that the Russians likely control the village of Buhruvatka in the north of Kharkiv region.

"With the village of Buhruvatka, west-south-west of Vovchansk, likely under their control, Russian forces are attempting to achieve physical control of the nearby crossing over the Siverskyi Donets river, thereby threatening the flank and rear of defending Ukrainian forces in Vovchansk itself," the report says.

At the same time, in the Lukyantsi axis, Russian troops continue to launch attacks toward the village of Lyptsi but had made no significant progress as of the evening of May 22.

Russian leader Vladimir Putin said his forces allegedly sought to create a "buffer zone" in the north of Kharkiv region. British intelligence believes that the Russians are seeing no success to this end.

"The northern Kharkiv front has likely stabilized with Russian territorial control fragmented and not joined up. Russia’s gains in this axis will be limited in the coming week, as Russia’s initial momentum has been contained by Ukrainian resistance," British analysts said.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, in the last week, during the offensive on Vovchansk in Kharkiv region, Russian command employed units from the so-called "Africa Corps" controlled by the Ministry of Defense, alongside regular army troops and Storm Z assault units.

Photo: Kostiantyn Liberov