The ministry stated that approximately 190 Ukrainian soldiers were killed and one tank destroyed in the Western Group’s area of operations. Russian forces also said that units in the southern sector seized fortified positions near towns in the "Donetsk People’s Republic", reporting 225 Ukrainian personnel, three armored vehicles, 15 cars, five artillery pieces, one electronic warfare station, and multiple ammunition and supply depots destroyed.

Local observers in Kharkiv reported increased artillery exchanges and air strikes over the past several days.

Local officials confirmed intermittent power outages and restricted civilian movement near combat zones.

Kharkiv has been a central focus of Russia’s northeastern offensive, aimed at creating buffer zones along the border with Russia’s Belgorod region. 

Military analysts say control over villages like Kivsharivka would provide Moscow with strategic advantages east of the Oskil River, including supply corridors and observation points. Kyiv forces have maintained active counteroffensives using Western-supplied military systems.

Continued combat in Kharkiv and surrounding areas underscores the protracted nature of the conflict, now entering its fourth year. Analysts caution that both sides’ information campaigns complicate verification, making independent reporting critical to understanding actual territorial control and the human impact on frontline communities.