Over 5,000 civilians evacuated from Kharkiv Oblast

5,762 civilians in Kharkiv Oblast have been evacuated from their homes amid heavy fighting in the region, Governor Oleh Syniehubov reported on May 13.

Russia launched new offensive actions on May 10 in the directions of Lyptsi and Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast.

More than 30 settlements in Kharkiv Oblast came under Russian artillery and mortar fire over the past day, and the town of Vovchansk was hit by "a series of massive shelling," Syniehubov said.

"At the moment, the enemy has tactical success" in the fight for Vovchansk, Ukraine's General Staff said in a statement on social media in the early hours of May 13.

The attacks injured nine civilians across the region, according to Syniehubov.

Of the 5,762 civilians who were evacuated, 2,589 were evacuated from Kharkiv district. Fighting is ongoing in the north of the district, in the area that borders Russia.

Another 2,695 people were evacuated from Chuhuiv district, to the southeast of the city of Kharkiv, and 44 people were evacuated from Bohoduhiv district, to the west of Kharkiv.

Civilians flee Vovchansk under Russian bombardment as ground offensive on Kharkiv begins

Vovchansk is ground zero of Russia’s new offensive into Kharkiv Oblast, the first time a serious push has been made to take territory across the border since the area was liberated from Russian occupation in 2022.

The Kyiv IndependentFrancis Farrell