Ukraine's military says situation in northern Kharkiv region escalating

Vitalii Sarantsev, spokesperson for the Kharkiv Group of Forces, said this on Ukrainian television, Ukrinform reports.

"The situation in the operational area of the Kharkiv Group of Forces remains difficult, tense and has signs of escalating," he said.

Sarantsev said that in Vovchansk, the enemy is conducting an internal rotation of assault groups, preparing personnel from the 4th Volunteer Assault Brigade for assault operations. Street fighting is ongoing in the city. The enemy is trying to attack head-on in the center and advance on the flanks.

Near the village of Tykhe in the Vovchansk community, the enemy deployed assault groups from the 1st Assault Company of the 83rd Guards Air Assault Brigade to advanced positions.

Near the village of Starytsia in the Vovchansk community, the enemy is moving personnel to replenish the current shortage. In particular, the enemy started preparing for the transfer of units of the 22nd Motor Rifle Regiment of the 72nd Motor Rifle Division of the 44th Army Corps of the Russian Armed Forces from the temporarily occupied part of the Luhansk region.

Near the village of Hlyboke in the Kharkiv district, the enemy carried out evacuation measures, is strengthening the defense, mining the area in the possible directions of the advance of Ukrainian forces, conducting reconnaissance of advance routes and preparing for assault operations.

Near the village of Sotnytskyi Kozachok of the Zolochiv community, on Russian territory, the enemy is strengthening combat guard posts, expanding the communications and control system, and increasing the use of reconnaissance UAVs.

Sarantsev said that the enemy conducts internal rotations, increases military presence in border areas, tries to carry out sabotage and intelligence activities, attacks Ukrainian forces both from captured positions and from Russian territory, and increases control and communications systems at individual locations and on Russian territory.

Ukrainian forces, in turn, engage additional units and provide them with ammunition and drones.