Ukrainian forces holding southern outskirts of Vovchansk as Russians attempting to advance – military spox

This was stated on air by Viktor Trehubov, Spokesperson for the Joint Forces Grouping, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“If we talk about the intensity of fighting, on the one hand it is higher, for example, in the Lyman sector, where there are indeed many Russians. But in some ways, it is harder in the Vovchansk area, because everything there is heavily destroyed, and the enemy, although with smaller forces, is trying to carry out offensive actions,” Trehubov said.

According to him, Ukrainian troops are holding only the southern outskirts of Vovchansk, while most of the town lies in ruins. Russian forces are trying to push Ukrainian units out of positions on the approaches to the town, including Vovchanski Khutory and Starytsia.

“The fact that we are holding them now is already a positive outcome, given that the positions are destroyed and the northern outskirts are only four kilometers from the border,” the spokesperson added.

As Ukrinform previously reported, on February 15, Russian forces attempted four times to break through Ukrainian defensive lines in the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, near the settlements of Veterinarne, Vovchanski Khutory, and Okhrimivka.

Photo: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine