Russia sends reinforcements to Kharkiv as Ukraine makes gains

Moscow, Sep 9 (EFE).- Russia on Friday said it was deploying reinforcements to Kharkiv amid a Ukrainian counteroffensive that has recuperated occupied territory in the region of eastern Ukraine.

A video published by the Russian defense ministry and broadcast on public TV showed armored vehicles and equipment that, according to Moscow, is en route to the front lines in Kharkiv.

The Russia-24 TV channel said that Mi-26 helicopters carried troops to Kupyansk and Izyum.

Kupyansk is located 118 kilometers to the east of Kharkiv city and is an important logistics base for Russian forces.

The Kremlin on Friday declined to comment on the Ukrainian counteroffensive taking place in the Kharkiv region, 20% of which is occupied by Russian forces.

Ukrainian military authorities claimed that Ukrainian troops had advanced 50 kilometers into the region in three days, recapturing 20 settlements.

Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that his armed forces had recovered 1,000 square kilometers of territory from Russian forces in southern and eastern Ukraine since September 1. EFE

mos/jt/mp