Moscow, Russia

Russia intensified its ground assault into Ukraine's Kharkiv region on Monday (May 13) as it has been attacking new areas with small groups to try to widen the front and stretch Ukraine's forces, the regional governor said, with the Ukrainian army admitting that Moscow was achieving "tactical success". 

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Last week on Friday, Russia launched a surprise ground offensive in Ukraine's northeast and opened a new front in the ongoing war. The local official said that Russia on Monday pummelled more than 30 towns and villages in the Kharkiv region. 

In televised comments, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said, "The enemy is trying to deliberately stretch it (the front line), attacking in small groups, but in new directions, so to speak." 

"The situation is difficult," he added. 

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Also read: Russia is ready if West wants to fight for Ukraine, says Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov 

The Ukrainian army also acknowledged Russia was "achieving tactical success" after the ground assault. 

Ukraine's general staff admitted in a statement on social media in the early hours of Monday: "At the moment, the enemy has tactical success" in the fight for Vovchansk. 

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Russia's defence ministry said its troops had "improved the tactical position and dealt a blow to (Ukrainian) manpower" around border villages, including Lyptsi, and the town of Vovchansk. 

Sergiy Kryvetchenko, who is the deputy head of the Ukrainian military administration in the village of Lyptsi, told AFP: "They are shelling the villages, firing everything they can. The KABs (guided aerial bombs) are flying. The artillery is flying. Drones. Everything." 

Also read: Who is Sergei Shoigu? Putin's hunting partner just shown exit door from Russian defence ministry 

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Ukraine strikes Russian regions in the border area 

Four people have been killed by strikes in a Russian-held part of eastern Ukraine and a Russian border region, local officials said on Monday (May 13). The Russian-installed leader of the eastern Lugansk region of Ukraine said rockets had hit an industrial zone in the territory. 

The region was occupied by Moscow during the course of the ongoing war against Ukraine. 

"We already know of three killed and four wounded" in the attack on Krasnodon, which is known as Sorokyne in Ukrainian, the official, Leonid Pasechnik, said on social media. 

Earlier, Russian officials said that at least 15 people were killed and scores injured on Sunday when a section of a Russian apartment block collapsed after being struck by fragments of a Soviet-era missile in Belgorod. As per the official, the missile was launched by Ukraine and shot down by Russia. 

In recent weeks, Russia and Ukraine have escalated aerial attacks on each other's border regions, but the one that happened on Sunday was one of the deadliest attacks to date on the region of Belgorod. 

Russian officials claimed that Ukraine launched a massive missile attack, involving Tochka ballistic missiles and Adler and RM-70 Vampire (MLRS) multiple-launch rocket systems. 

Russia's defence ministry said at least 12 missiles were involved in the Belgorod strikes, which it called a "terrorist attack on residential areas".

"Fragments of one of the downed Tochka-U missiles damaged an apartment building in the city of Belgorod," the ministry said. 

Disclaimer: A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on Ukraine-Russia war on the ground and online. While WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos

(With inputs from agencies)