Ukraine admits troops forced back in Kharkiv and Donbas sectors in fierce fighting, heavy RF losses claimed

Ukraine’s Army General Staff (AGS) on 27 April admitted its troops had been forced back at some locations in the Kharkiv and Donbas sectors but claimed overall Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) units were holding and inflicting heavy casualties on Russian forces.

The 06:00 AGS morning sitrep said Russian Federation (RF) units had fought their way into the northern outskirts of the village Velika Kamyshevakha, between the cities Izium and Kharkiv. The statement said RF units also captured the village Zarechne, near the town Liman. RF state-controlled media showed RF troops walking freely around an ammunition depot reportedly in the vicinity, and inspecting foreign-manufactured anti-tank missiles allegedly abandoned by UAF forces. RF units also captured the village Zavody, in the Kharkiv sector, the AGS statement said.

In the central Donbas sector, RF assaults were pressing against UAF positions in Rubizhne, Popasna, and Marynka, and Avdievka the statement said. In Avdievka RF artillery used phosphorus incendiary shells to set fires in homes and businesses in the town center, said Palvo Kirilenko, Donetsk defense command head, in a statement. He said UAF units at these locations were holding their ground.

A Ukraine Defense Ministry statement claimed that over the previous 24 hours UAF forces destroyed 9 tanks, 11 artillery systems, 4 electronic warfare systems, 14 light armored vehicles, 3 infantry fighting vehicles, 3 engineer vehicles, 16 trucks, 3 engineering vehicles, 4 fuel trucks, 1 anti-aircraft system, 1 Su-25 ground attack aircraft, 1 Ka-52 attack helicopter, 2 cruise missiles, and 3 drones. If accurate, as compared to the day previous, RF losses had roughly doubled.