A NATO official said that Russian forces suffered huge losses during the offensive in Kharkiv region in May, reported “European justice”. The NATO official spoke in Brussels on condition of anonymity. According to him, the Russian invaders were losing 1,000 of their soldiers every day.
„I would also add that the progress in Kharkiv Oblast seems to have come at a rather high price for Russia. Russia probably suffered losses of almost 1,000 people a day in May, which is quite an astronomical number,” the official said, noting that he was referring to the number of deaths. The number of injured could be much higher.
Discussing the situation in the Kharkiv region, the NATO representative said that Russia had failed to create a buffer zone, as Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin wanted. The front in this area is stabilized and the territories controlled by Russia are fragmented. “Therefore, in the long term, Russia's victories in this area will be limited,”, he added.
Against this background, The Telegraph reported that dozens of Russian soldiers had surrendered to Ukrainian forces after Ukrainian troops launched a counterattack around the northern city of Vovchansk, where heavy fighting has taken place since Moscow began its offensive.
Ukraine's 3rd Airborne Assault Brigade has released a front-line video showing its troops taking at least 24 Russians as prisoners of war. The footage appeared to confirm earlier reports that dozens of Russians had surrendered to Ukraine around the city.
Russia has opened a new front in the war in Ukraine, quickly invading across the border into the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine in early May with small groups of highly mobile units, forcing Ukraine to deploy troops from other areas. However, Putin's offensive failed.