The Russian Armed Forces stormed the border in a new direction: what is known (map)

According to American analysts, Russians can prepare offensive operations south, in the direction of Zolochev, or west, in the Sumy region, which creates operational uncertainty. The Russian forces are activating their operations in the Kharkiv direction, seeking to push the Ukrainian troops from the international border with the Belgorod region of Russia and to approach Kharkiv at the distance of an artillery shot.

On the evening of June 26, the Russian sabotage and intelligence group carried out a cross-border attack in the Zolochiv direction, northwest of Kharkiv. However, full -scale offensive operations in the area have not yet begun. This is stated in the report of the American Institute of War Study (ISW). Thus, the Ukrainian General Staff reported that the forces of defense successfully repelled the attack of Russian troops in the area of ​​the Sotnitsky Cossack.

The pressecretic of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine Andriy Demchenko stated that the Russian sabotage group had entered the Ukrainian territory and entered the battle with the use of small arms. After that, Ukrainian border guards were able to repel the attack. According to one of the Russian military bloggers, this attack was part of Russian efforts to create operational uncertainty along the border in the northeast of Ukraine.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said earlier that Russian troops are preparing for new offensive actions, focusing their forces near the Ukrainian border 90 km northwest of Kharkiv. This can allow Russian forces to start offensive operations south, in the direction of Zolochev, or west, in the Sumy region. The operational uncertainty created by such actions helps Russia to gain a foothold and involve the Ukrainian forces along the wider front in the north of the Kharkiv region.

As told in ISW, on June 27, the fighting lasted north and northeast of Kharkiv, but there were no changes in the front line. On June 26 and 27, the Russian and Ukrainian forces continued to fight in the Liptsi and Hlyboka area, as well as near Vovchansk. The Russian troops reported that the Ukrainian forces were successfully counteracted in Vovchansk and restored positions on several streets.

The commander of the Ukrainian battalion operating in the north of the Kharkiv region noted that Russian troops dig trenches on the first and second lines of defense, but Ukrainian artillery and unmanned aircraft complicate their efforts to build fortifications. According to ISW, parts of the 44th Army Corps of Russia have recently been transferred to the Kharkiv direction from the Kherson front.