"We are not going to leave, but the route was made" - Kharkiv residents about a new invasion of Russia (report)

Massive rocket-bombing strikes are undergoing Vovchansk, located five kilometers from the border with Russia and 70 kilometers from Kharkiv. The region and volunteers are emergency evacuating civilians. In some sense, Vovchansk turns into Bakhmut or Marinka, said Volodymyr Timoshko, Kharkiv Oblast Police. At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities suggest that Russia has not used the full forces to move deep.

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky believes that Russians can increase the scale of attack and pull up additional units in the Kharkiv direction. According to unofficial data, the Supreme Commander, because of the situation near Kharkiv, abolished his immediate international visits to Spain and Portugal. The front line is now changing rapidly and not in favor of Ukraine, although the pace of the Russian offensive has slowed down.

Many settlements in the Kharkiv region were under the control of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation, and part remains in the "gray zone". In fact, these are controversial territories between Ukrainian and Russian positions. The military serviceman of the Armed Forces, who returned to Kharkiv after completing a series of combat missions near Vovchansk, says focus about the risk of breakthroughs of the Russians into the city in case of pulling additional reserves.

"While the city is holding on to the outskirts of the Russian Federation, they want to go to some streets. We answer what can be: infantry, tanks, machine gun shooting with armored vehicles. Defense positions have to be occupied along the streets," he describes the situation in a conversation with focus. According to the fighter, the brothers who remained in positions were shocked by the rapid advance of Russia's troops.

Kharkiv, the second largest city of Ukraine, is located 30 kilometers from the border with Russia. Despite the strikes and operated aircraft, Kharkiv residents say that it is relatively safe here. There is no mass evacuation, cafes and shops work, but shelling does not stop for a day. Missiles and bombs beat on residential quarters, playgrounds and enterprises. The authorities organized the assistance points to refugees from settlements that assumed the blow of the Russians.

Excused because of nervous tension and extreme relocation, people shout at each other in queues. They happened to Dazhau: the territories of the Kharkiv region were occupied at the beginning of a full -scale invasion of Russia, later they were released during the counter -offensive from 7 to 11 September 2022. The degree of anxiety for displaced persons is increased, they have questions about how far the invaders will go.

Perhaps the Ukrainian troops have suffered an episodic failure on the battlefield? And what will happen in Kharkiv in a week or two? A 43-year-old entrepreneur in the field of auto business Alexei M. , who came from Vovchansk to Kharkiv, told about what was seen during the active phase of the offensive. The shells were broken literally half a kilometer from his house. In addition to permanent shelling, locals often heard machine gun queues. "The real hell.

At first I saw the fast event of the tanks, they were covered with shots of artillery. Then the shooters began - so they pulled the infantry. Yes, leaving my native home did not want . Kharkiv is much calmer, there is water supply and electricity. Sometimes the light is switched off, but it is not trouble compared to what is happening in the war zone, the displaced person added. The Russian group "North" also presses on Lipka, a small town near Kharkiv.

The village of Lukyanka, who is five kilometers from the Lips, is already occupied. The army of the Russian Federation dropped 10 managed airbombs to the settlement, the Armed Forces were forced to change positions. If the Russians take the sticky, Kharkiv will be in the area of ​​reach of artillery. The situation of the beginning of the Russian invasion in February-March 2022 will be repeated.

The high -rise buildings in Saltovka, Oleksiyivka and in the Kharkiv industrial area have become the laid out of the shells. Those who evacuated from the Lipts are convinced that there is no less dangerous period. In the last days, the village was fired intensively - the explosions were heard every 15 minutes. There was enemy artillery, aviation, drones and even helicopters, shares the impressions of the resident of the village of Natalia, who came to Kharkiv.

Kharkiv residents have been hearing about the plans of the Russians for about two months. The military command in Kiev and on the ground assures that Russian troops will not leave for Kharkiv, and the forces of defense of Ukraine will stop them on approaches. The likely offensive on Kharkiv is probably the most discussed topic: in queues in markets and shops people count the distance from the occupied settlements. Most of Kharkiv is frightening the approach to the city of enemy artillery and RSSV.

"Perhaps a bet on fear? Russians like to scare and act on emotions. Listen, Kharkiv is fired from the beginning of the war with all what is possible, and quite often. There are moments of lull. But those who wanted, we have left the city for a long time, we stay And we do not plan to go, " - says the employee of the Silpo grocery store.

A resident of Northern Saltivka Sergey Izmailov, one of the most resilient areas of the city, considers the best solution for the family to move to the south of the Osvynsky or Slobid districts of Kharkiv. "Wife, I, three children (the oldest - 17 years, average - 8 years, the youngest - a year) while we stay. We wait for it. The feeling today is no longer at the beginning of the invasion. At the same time we were unexpectedly attacked in the morning, bombed daily stable daily .

Oleg Nikonov, a trainer of a popular fitness center in Kharkiv, is also serious about the military situation. Judging by the news and the pace of the offensive of the Russians, when they took a dozen villages in three days, not everything is so clear. Obviously, the "sanitary zone", which was spoken by Russian President Vladimir Putin, will be at least to the district road of Kharkiv, he reflects in a conversation with focus.

The athlete draws attention to how before the beginning of the Great War the authorities reassured the population with "sun, weekends and kebabs in May. " Currently, in his opinion, a similar situation. After the bombing of Bakhmut and the destruction of Avdiivka, the most fortified city since 2014, there is even less hope. The question is only in time and in the tasks of promotion in the Kharkiv region, which Russia will ask. "Kharkiv is much larger than the lost cities in the Donbass.

We have shelters, subway. To step on the metropolis with live force is a difficult task. We hope that the authorities did not break money, but really strengthened the Kharkiv region, and a light walk in the invaders will not work," The interlocutor emphasizes. The head of the IT company, Eugene, also tells that he continues to work and is not going anywhere. But at the same time, family circumstances oblige - the route of possible departure is processing.

Despite the exacerbation of the martial law, many people can be seen in Kharkiv central parks. Frequent phenomenon - walks of mothers with young children. Many of them returned in the spring of 2022, when the cities subsided. "We walk, walk and not be afraid. Honestly, tired of hiding and moving. The alarm has increased in recent days, but we do not collect bags.

Maybe if we had more information about plans for an offensive on Kharkiv, we would make a decision faster," - describes The situation is a resident of Kharkiv Anna Lomova. We will remind, the army of Russia is now moving in the direction of the village of Liptsi of Kharkiv region. According to the head of the regional military administration Oleg Synigubova, the Armed Forces are trying to stabilize the front line. Another new front may be the Sumy region.