Ukrainian forces have recaptured a major processing plant in the northeastern town of Vovchansk after intense hand-to-hand combat, driving out Russian troops who had occupied the facility for four months, officials reported Tuesday.
The plant, a sprawling complex of about 30 buildings partly constructed of steel, had been a Russian stronghold in the Kharkiv border region since May. Russia had used the position in an attempt to stretch Ukraine’s forces by launching a fresh offensive in the area.
This victory coincides with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s visit to the United States, where he seeks to secure continued foreign support as the war enters its third year.
Ukrainian Military Intelligence stated that its units reclaimed the Vovchansk plant after fierce fighting “in densely built-up conditions.”
Meanwhile, Russian forces continue their attacks elsewhere. In Kharkiv city, at least three people were killed and 28 injured in a Russian glide bomb attack, according to regional Governor Oleh Syniehubov.
Ukrainian forces are also under severe pressure in Vuhledar, a key stronghold in the Donetsk region. Russian forces are reportedly using glide bombs to devastate the town while attempting to encircle it with infantry units.
The ongoing conflict has reduced many Ukrainian towns and villages to rubble, with Russia waging a war of attrition along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line. The U.K. Defense Ministry estimates that over 1,000 Russian troops are being killed or wounded daily in the conflict.
