The Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday (17) that its “North” military grouping took control of 12 settlements in the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv last week.
President Vladimir Putin said Russian forces advancing in the Kharkiv region, Ukraine's second-largest city, were creating a “buffer zone” to protect Russia's border regions.
Still, he highlighted that capturing the city of Kharkiv is not part of Russia's current plan.
Lack of troops for strategic advance
NATO, the Western military alliance, believes Russia does not have enough troops for a “strategic” advance into Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, a senior NATO commander said.
Still, the military acknowledged that Moscow's forces had made “local advances” in northeastern Ukraine.
*with information from Reuters
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
