Kharkiv region’s Synkivka remains Ukrainian controlled: Regional chief refutes claims about Russia’s advance

In the Kharkiv region, Russian troops are making attempts to seize the Kupiansk district’s Synkivka, but Ukrainian forces continue holding control of the settlement.

The relevant statement was made by Kharkiv Regional Military Administration Head Oleh Syniehubov during a press conference, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

“Russian military forces and means are focusing efforts to seize Synkivka, but the settlement is controlled by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. In some places, hostilities are taking place on the outskirts; the enemy is being actively eliminated. If the [occupiers’] military equipment entered the village and was destroyed, this does not make the settlement seized. This is a ‘grey zone’, in which hostilities are taking place,” Syniehubov explained.

In his words, the situation on the battlefield in the Kupiansk district has remained unchanged.

“We record a certain increase in attacks, and then we will record a decrease… It goes in waves: the Armed Forces of Ukraine inflict damage in the enemy; a certain rotation takes place; military units change places; and then they try to launch assaults,” Syniehubov noted.

According to him, the situation in the Kupiansk district is challenging but controlled. However, the number of settlements affected by continuous Russian attacks did increase.