Kiev admits Russian troops making gains in Kharkiv region

The Ukrainian military conceded on Monday that Russian forces are making progress in their offensive in the north-eastern Kharkiv region.
Moscow's troops have been engaged in a concerted push into the region, raising alarm among Ukrainians and their Western allies that a large-scale assault on Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city, is coming.
Kharkiv is located just 30 kilometres south of the Russian border.
"The enemy is currently achieving tactical success," the Ukrainian General Staff said in its situation report posted on social media early Monday morning.
Following the capture of several villages in the predominantly Russian-speaking Kharkiv region, fighting is currently under way around the city of Vovchansk, only 5 kilometres from the Russian border, the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces said.
Despite incurring heavy losses, Ukraine said the Russian military is deploying significant forces in the battle for Vovchansk, with up to five battalions bearing down on the city.
Vovchansk had come under Russian occupation at the beginning of the war. During Ukraine's autumn offensive in 2022 in the Kharkiv region, Russian troops withdrew from Vovchansk.
According to Ukrainian figures, around 3,500 people were still living in the city at the time.
Russia launched a renewed campaign in the Kharkiv region on May 10. Over the past two days, the Russian Defence Ministry has reported the capture of nine villages.
Meanwhile, at least 15 people were killed in an attack on Sunday on a multi-storey residential building in the Russian border region of Belgorod, Russian authorities said on Monday.
The bodies have been recovered from the rubble of the partially collapsed apartment block over the past hours, the civil defence authority said on Telegram.
Another 27 people were injured, Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
Russian authorities had initially only reported injuries following Sunday's attack on the 10-storey building. The Defence Ministry in Moscow holds Ukraine responsible.
Some observers, both from Russia and Ukraine, have questioned this account, with some pointing out that the Ukrainian Tochka U missiles, which Russia says were used in the attack, usually cause different damage than those seen on videos and images of the Belgorod collapse.
Kiev has yet to officially respond to the claims.