Enemy probing Ukrainian defenses in Vovchansk community for about a week – SBGS spokesperson

Andrii Demchenko, spokesperson for Ukraine's State Border Guard Service (SBGS), said this on television when asked about localized Russian activity in the Kharkiv region and the purpose of the intensification, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"For quite a long time, the enemy has been trying to expand its area of control in the Vovchansk community, attacking from Russian territory toward our border. More recently, the enemy has also begun operating in the Vilkhuvatka community. Now, for about a week, the enemy has been trying to probe our defenses in the Vovchansk community and attack the positions of Ukrainian defenders, including positions held by State Border Guard Service units in our defensive sectors," Demchenko said.

He said the enemy was suffering heavy losses in the process.

"Given these actions we are seeing from Russia, I do not rule out that the enemy still expects to make significant advances there. At the same time, we have been observing this for quite a long time, even since the beginning of this year, when the enemy began operating in the Vovchansk community, particularly toward the settlement of Dihtiarne. But throughout this entire period, it has been unable to achieve any major successes," the spokesperson said.

Demchenko explained that Russian forces are attacking and have an advantage over Ukrainian troops, while a large number of strikes precede infantry assaults as the enemy seeks to destroy the positions held by Ukrainian defenders.

"The enemy is trying to infiltrate, but it is suffering heavy losses, both killed and wounded. A large number of occupiers are being taken prisoner. Our soldiers are doing everything possible to strike Russian logistics and the weapons systems the enemy uses to shell our territory," he said.

Photo: General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces