Russian troops are trying to seize heights north of Kharkiv, which will allow them to shell logistical routes on the outskirts of the city, the commander of a battalion of the National Guard of Ukraine said.
The Russian Armed Forces are intensively storming the village of Liptsy in the Kharkiv region, using infantry and massive shelling with guided aerial bombs (GABs). At the same time, the Ukrainian military has held back the enemy's offensive and is even trying to counterattack. The commander of the 3rd operational battalion of the Spartan brigade of the National Guard, Oleksandr Bukatar ("White"), spoke about the situation on the front and potential threats to Kharkiv on May 29.
Bukatar noted that Ukrainian forces managed to halt the Russian advance on Kharkiv and launch counterattacks. He explained that this was achieved thanks to the regrouping and arrival of experienced brigades, such as his brigade, which had previously operated in Zaporizhia region. The terrain also played an important role in holding the positions in Liptsy, which are key to the defense of Kharkiv.
In the Kharkiv region, the specifics of the terrain, in particular the hills north of Lyptsy and green forest plantations, help the fighters hold their defenses and advance, noted "White" from "Spartan".
“There is a large difference in altitude here, which was not the case in the Zaporizhia direction, where we operated before. There have not been any major hostilities here, so there are landings. This provides both advantages and difficulties. In front of Lyptsy there is a dominant height, which we hold. It allows us to shell occupied settlements,” said Bukatar.
The commanding heights near Liptsy are strategically important, the battalion commander noted. If the Russians capture these heights, they will be able to reach the outskirts of Kharkiv with artillery fire, located 20 km away. This will allow the enemy to shell Northern Saltiv and the ring road through which logistics pass, taking this area under fire control.
“If our goal is to defend Kharkiv, then the settlement of Lyptsy is extremely important, as they are within artillery range. This would allow multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) to shell all of Kharkiv,” he said.
According to the battalion commander, Russian troops are advancing on Lipka mainly on foot, while simultaneously massively shelling the positions of the Defense Forces with guided aerial bombs (GABs). For example, during the day, 20 such bombs were dropped on the positions of his unit by the aircraft of the Russian Armed Forces.
It is worth noting that the online map of the fighting shows that the last changes to the contact line near Liptsy occurred on May 18–19: then the Russian Armed Forces advanced 2 km. Since then, as of May 29, no further enemy advance has been recorded.
On May 26, during a telethon, the spokesman for the Joint Forces of the Khortytsia Group of Forces reported that Russian troops were “stuck on the road” to Lyptsy. He also noted that the threat of a breakthrough in the Strylecha-Hlyboke section had been stopped and the enemy had begun to be pushed out of previously occupied positions.
