Ukrainian civilians forced to flee once-liberated Kharkiv amid Russia’s renewed invasion

Fierce fighting in Ukraine’s northeastern province of Kharkiv forced residents to flee Saturday as Russia continued its renewed invasion of the region that was liberated about eight months into the war.

Residents evacuated villages in the border region and fled to the city of Kharkiv, about 30 miles south of the border, as Russia claimed it had taken at least five villages, The Kyiv Independent reported.

Ukrainian military officials maintained that Russian troops were being “held back” to a half mile of territory along the border.

It was the most intense offensive waged by either side in two years, CNN reported.

Kyiv said it didn’t believe Russia had enough manpower available to claim the city — Ukraine’s second largest, with about 1.5 million residents before the war — but anticipated Russian troops would move in that direction Saturday as part of a renewed offensive push.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky defiantly said Moscow’s decision to return to the front lines in Kharkiv “will give more opportunities to our soldiers.”