Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited Kharkiv today. He described the battlefield situation in the region as extremely difficult but under control. After holding a meeting in the city with his top commander and senior military leaders the President said they were strengthening their units. Zelenskiy postponed all his foreign trips yesterday as the battlefield situation deteriorated.

Kyiv’s military said its forces were fighting Russian troops in northern districts of the town of Vovchansk. Describing the situation in Vovchansk as under control, the Ukrainian military said its defensive actions forced Russian troops to reduce the tempo of their push into the north of the region.

Meanwhile, Russia says it has taken control of 12 villages and its forces are now preparing to try to take the village of Lyptsi about 30 km north of Kharkiv.