Armored assaults return: Ukrainian brigade thwarts Russian push in Kharkiv sector

This was reported by Oleksii Rozumnyi, an officer in the planning division of Ukraine’s 13th Operational Brigade Khartia, during an interview with Hromadske Radio.

On the frontline situation

Rozumnyi emphasized the importance of distinguishing between different levels of military command — strategic, operational, and tactical.

“As a brigade, we operate at the tactical level. We’re most familiar with and in control of the situation within our direct area of responsibility — near the village of Lyptsi, north of Kharkiv. At our level, we observe enemy movements or buildups within a 10–20 kilometer range — not 50 or 100,” he explained.

He noted that assessments of force concentrations at the operational or strategic levels fall under the purview of intelligence agencies that analyze the broader picture.

“In our sector, we've recently noticed actions by the enemy that haven’t been typical for some time — specifically, a return to using armored vehicles during assaults,” Rozumnyi said. According to him, the last time Russian forces used armor on this scale was last year.

“After those attempts failed, they shifted for a long time to tactics involving small infantry groups trying to infiltrate our lines — occasionally using motorcycles, but that was rare,” he said.

Recently, Russian troops employed two tanks, a mine-clearing vehicle, and several other armored units in an effort to breach Ukraine’s defensive lines. Rozumnyi said their apparent goal was to push through the front, but the attempt failed and most of their equipment was destroyed.

“These attacks happened both in our sector and in neighboring brigades’ zones, so this was a large-scale operation on their part. Right now, we remain in a heightened state of readiness, as more attempts involving armor can’t be ruled out,” he added.

Does Russia have the resources for further gains?

Rozumnyi said that, based on recent events, Russia currently lacks the capacity for successful breakthroughs.

“It’s not just about how many vehicles they’re using — it’s that our detection and strike systems are now working effectively, including coordination between brigades. We’re able to hit targets as they’re still moving toward the border. Even though the line of contact is on our territory, Russian forces are often hit before they even cross into Ukraine,” he said.

“As a result, only a few vehicles manage to get through — and as of now, we don’t see a direct threat of a breakthrough toward our forward positions,” Rozumnyi concluded.

• Ihor Lapin, a retired major of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, noted that during the operation in the Kursk region, the enemy amassed approximately 67,000 personnel.