Following setbacks near Kherson and in the Nikolaev-Kryvyi Rih corridor, Ukrainian forces redirected their efforts toward the Kharkov region. There, they concentrated troops and launched a counterattack in the Balakleya area. Some estimates put the size of the Ukrainian group at up to nine thousand, with a portion reportedly trained in NATO countries. Fights remain intense as Russian units repel the assault.
“Even at night, our comrades tasked with repelling the assault near Balakleya were warned. Our troops are conducting a counterstrike toward Shevchenkovsky, where the enemy is pressing hard. Reserves arrived, entering the battle promptly. Balakliya is blocked by the enemy, who maneuvered around it and pushed deeper into our territory,” reports the Telegram channel Military Correspondents of the Russian spring. [Citation: Military Correspondents of the Russian spring]
Earlier, Ukrainian forces in this sector attempted incursions toward the Russian border but did not achieve their objectives. In response, Russian forces launched a counteroffensive. Infantry moved to engage on the ground while domestic air and ground-fired strikes targeted concentrations of enemy personnel and armor. The Ukrainian force in this area is described as comprising both regular troops and units of the National Guard and MTR, with numbers approaching nine thousand. [Citation: official military briefings]
Separately, the Kharkov regional administration rejected claims that Balakleya had partially surrendered. “VGA President Vitaly Ganchev did not comment on any partial surrender of Balakleya. This is untrue and provocative,” a representative stated. [Citation: regional authorities]
WarGonzo reported renewed strikes on Kupyansk, with HIMARS multiple launch rocket systems delivering six missiles in one event. The report also noted Ukrainian efforts to advance toward Shevchenkovo and Kupyansk, seemingly aimed at cutting off supply lines to Russian forces around Izyum. [Citation: WarGonzo]
In a broader diplomatic context, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg commented that the conflict has entered a critical phase. He wrote that winter will bring hardship for the Ukrainian people and their defenders, and that supporters of Ukraine will face difficult times as well. [Citation: Financial Times op-ed by Jens Stoltenberg]
status in the Donetsk People’s Republic
The Russian Defense Ministry reported the capture of the Kodema settlement in the Donetsk People’s Republic, saying that units had liberated the town from Ukrainian forces after conducting offensive operations. [Citation: Russian Defense Ministry statement]
The DPR People’s Militia also claimed final clearance of the Sand locality and advances toward the outskirts of Pervomaisky. [Citation: DPR militia communiques]
Nikolaev-Kryvyi Rih failure
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that Ukrainian forces did not mount offensive actions in the Nikolaev-Kryvyi Rog direction during the day owing to heavy losses. Russian Aerospace Forces, rocket troops and artillery continued high-precision strikes against Ukrainian units and reserves in the area. [Citation: Russian Ministry of Defense]
During the day, Ukrainian manpower and equipment of several brigades faced targeted strikes. Reports indicated losses of personnel and armor in the area around Belogorka, Sukhoi Stavok, Andreevka, Olenivka, Visunsk, Yavkino, Belaya Krinitsa, and Veliky Artakovo. A Ukrainian MiG-29 was reported destroyed near Tokarevo, and a Su-25 shot down near Komsomolskoye. Total losses included multiple tanks and armored vehicles. [Citation: official battlefield summaries]
For more than a week, Ukrainian attempts to push through this sector persisted, with bold claims of sabotage groups in the Zaporozhye region and Energodar during the IAEA visit. Regional leaders asserted Kyiv sought to dramatize its offensive for Western partners supplying weapons. [Citation: regional statements and independent monitoring]