Latest Update Summary of Russia-Ukraine War

As of May 10, local time, the Russian army has not given up its attempt to besiege the city of Kharkiv, Ukraine, in a horseshoe-like shape from the north and east. For this reason, Russia deployed three battalion-level tactical groups in the northern part of Kharkiv Oblast, and another 19 battalion-level tactical groups were also being assembled in Belgorod Oblast to reinforce their front Kharkiv. At the same time, two Russian battalion-level tactical groups in Mariupol continued to attack the Azovstal plant. A bridge used to evacuate civilians in the north of the Azovstal plant complex has been bombed by Russian forces. Most of the Russian troops previously deployed in the region have now been redeployed to other parts of the Donbas.

According to the Ukrainian staff, the Russian Airborne Forces, the 1st Tank Army, the 20th Combined Arms Army of the Western Military District, and the 29th, 35th, 36th Army, and the 68th Army of the Eastern Military District are preparing to launch an offensive toward Nova Dmytrivka and Kurulka, located within the border between Kharkiv and Donetsk Oblasts.

Furthermore, after advancing to Barvinkove, the Russians may be reprioritizing their advance to the southeast of Izyum. According to sources, although the artillery fire and ground attacks of the Russian army in this direction have never stopped, the tenacious resistance of the Ukrainian defenders has strongly limited Russia’s advance to Lyman and Slovyansk.

On the other hand, the illegal “Luhansk People’s Republic” puppet army has occupied Nyzhnje and attempted to control Toshkivka, about 25 kilometers southeast of Severodonetsk, thus interfering with the Ukrainian defenders in this area’s fierce battle. As a result, the Russian army could not make any significant progress around Severodonetsk, which led to the Russian aggressor’s heavy artillery bombardment of the local Ukrainian positions. The same thing happened on Ukraine’s Southern Front.

Analysts have pointed out that Russian authorities may be setting conditions for directly incorporating occupied Ukrainian territory into Russia rather than creating a pseudo-state.