“Special attention is paid to the Kharkiv region. Defensive battles are ongoing, fierce battles – on a large part of our border area. There are villages that have actually turned from a gray zone into a combat zone – and the occupier is trying to gain a foothold in some of them, or simply use some of them for further advancement,” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a traditional address to the Ukrainian nation on May 12.
Today, the key issue is, of course, the frontline and our counteraction to Russian operations. Throughout the day, there have been reports from the Commander-in-Chief, intelligence, Interior Minister.
Special attention is paid to the Kharkiv region. Defensive battles are ongoing, fierce battles – on a large part of our border area. There are villages that have actually turned from a gray zone into a combat zone – and the occupier is trying to gain a foothold in some of them, or simply use some of them for further advancement. I’d like to thank our warriors who are holding their positions and destroying the occupier. Artillery, drones – everyone who is involved and is involved effectively – I am grateful to you. Our task is obvious – we need to inflict as many losses as possible on the occupier. In particular, on the outskirts of Vovchansk, the situation is extremely difficult – the city is under constant Russian fire, and our military is carrying out counterattacks, helping local residents. And it is very important that everyone who is directly there, in the Kharkiv region, shows maximum efficiency now. In the Armed Forces, in the security forces, in local authorities, in communities. Everything depends on what you are capable of in a war – whether you can withstand the attacks and hold your ground so that everyone else can do the same. The key thing is our resilience and Ukrainian results in battles.
Full text of the address: Office of the President of Ukraine