As the Russian army continues to advance in the Kharkiv region of north-eastern Ukraine, Kiev has replaced its commander of local forces and appointed Mykhaïlo Drapatyi, a hero of the liberation of Kherson in November 2022

The Russian advance around Kharkiv continues, prompting Ukraine to appoint Mykhaïlo Drapatyi, who played a crucial role in the liberation of Kherson nine months into the conflict. According to the RBC-Ukraine news agency, citing the military command, Brigadier General Mykhaïlo Drapatyi took over from the officer in charge of operations on the Kharkiv front on Saturday, although the reasons for the change were not specified.

Russia is stepping up its offensive in the Kharkiv region, hitting more than thirty villages with artillery and mortar fire, according to the regional governor, Oleg Synegoubov. More than 5,762 residents have been evacuated so far, with plans to evacuate a further 1,600 people despite the tense situation.

Russian forces have been crossing the border since Friday to conduct an offensive in the direction of Lyptsi and Vovchansk, while the Ukrainian General Staff acknowledges that the enemy is experiencing tactical successes. However, the city of Kharkiv itself is not yet under threat.

These developments come as Russian President Vladimir Putin made a surprise reshuffle, replacing his Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu with Andrei Belooussov, an economist with no military experience.