‘Our Flags Are Returning’ – AFU Retakes Land in Donetsk, While Invading Forces Inch Forward Near Kharkiv

The Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have regained control of Novomykhailivka in the Donetsk region, the Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) announced on Facebook.

The operation was carried out by the HUR’s Department of Active Operations, including the Artan unit, together with the 2nd Assault Battalion of the 3rd Assault Brigade, the AFU said.

“Our units expelled the occupiers and regained control over the settlement of Novomykhailivka in the Donetsk region. According to intercepted communications, the operation caught the enemy by surprise. Russian forces lost roughly a company’s worth of personnel and were forced to redeploy reserves from other sectors of the front,” the statement said.

“As of now, Novomykhailivka has been fully cleared of Russian troops and is under complete control of the Ukrainian army. Our flags are returning to where they rightfully belong,” HUR said.

State news outlet Ukrinform reported on Sunday that the AFU successfully counterattacked in the Donetsk region and liberated several other villages earlier in the weekend, including Mykhailivka, Zelenyi Hai and Volodymyrivka.

“Our troops have successfully counterattacked and cleared the villages of Mykhailivka, Zelenyi Gai, and Volodymyrivka in the Donetsk region from the enemy,” Ukrainian commander-in-chief Oleksandr Syrsky wrote on social media.

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Meanwhile, the US-based think-tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Russian forces are making gains along Ukraine’s northern border, citing geolocated footage published on Saturday, indicating that Russian forces recently advanced within central Vovchansk, northeast of the city of Kharkiv.

Russian forces attacked near Zelene, and Vovchansk, over the weekend. Footage published last week shows a Ukrainian drone striking a bridge that Russian forces had reportedly mined near Krasnyi Khutor (north of the city of Kharkiv, just across the international border).