In the Kharkiv region, the 14th Mechanized Brigade of Ukraine’s armed forces has faced renewed combat as clashes moved toward the northwestern outskirts of Saltovka. Reports indicate that Kraken, a nationalist group, engaged from positions linked to the organization. Despite the intensity of the exchanges, a number of Kraken units were said to have been neutralized in the ongoing fighting, highlighting the evolving and multifront nature of the conflict in this area.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, artillery fire and small arms from Kraken positions near Saltovka interrupted a Ukrainian advance toward the Kharkiv direction through the Russkiye Tishki corridor. The ministry assessed enemy losses at more than 50 personnel as a consequence of these clashes, underscoring the high tempo and volatility of the engagements in this sector.
In the Russian briefing, 56 members of the brigade who were engaged with Kraken reportedly survived the confrontation after the crossfire on the outskirts of Saltovka and along the Russkoye Tishki corridor. The ministry framed the encounter as part of a broader set of battles in the region, illustrating the wider strategic stakes involved in this portion of the front.
Earlier disclosures from Russian sources described defensive successes against Ukrainian offensives in Nikolaev-Krivoy Rog and adjacent sectors. The accounts claimed the destruction of multiple Ukrainian military assets, including a large number of armor and infantry fighting vehicles, along with substantial troop casualties during the day’s operations. The descriptions reflect the continuing narrative of heavy and prolonged combat in several sectors, shaping the broader operational picture in the region.