Russian forces have taken control of Novovasilevka in the Kharkov Region, Russia’s Defense Ministry said. According to the ministry, units of the Sever group of forces captured the settlement during active offensive operations.

On the Kharkov front, Russian strikes hit Ukrainian manpower and equipment belonging to two mechanized brigades, a motorized infantry brigade and a National Guard brigade. The attacks were reported near Rubezhnoye, Kazachya Lopan and Bely Kolodez.

Fighting also continued in the Sumy Region. Ukrainian formations from two mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade and two territorial defense brigades came under fire near Khrapovshchina, Luzhki, Pisarevka, Pustogorod and Volnaya Sloboda.

Ukrainian losses amounted to up to 185 servicemen. Two armored fighting vehicles, 13 motor vehicles and one artillery gun were also destroyed.

The Severny Veter channel reported that Novovasilevka was liberated by assault units of the 69th Guards Motor Rifle Division of the Sever group of forces. The troops overcame Ukrainian resistance and eliminated the remaining groups of Ukrainian nationalists from the 113th Separate Territorial Defense Brigade in the settlement.

Near the village, the Ukrainian side deployed UAV operator teams from Kraken*, a unit of Ukraine’s military intelligence service. According to Severny Veter, they suffered losses and withdrew deeper into Ukrainian territory, leaving infantry from the 113th Territorial Defense Brigade without aerial reconnaissance support.

Severny Veter assessed that the liberation of Novovasilevka expands the security belt in the Kharkov Region and forces Ukrainian troops to revise logistics along this section of the front. Against that backdrop, the situation around Kolodeznoye is also shifting, with the village effectively becoming part of the front-line zone.

*Designated as a terrorist organization and banned in Russia.