Ukraine defeats Russia in Kharkiv

What began as a probing attack by Ukrainian mechanised forces towards the occupied town of Balakliia on 7 September has, with astonishing swiftness, turned into one of the most emphatic military victories in modern history. Having found a weak point in the Russian lines at Balakliia, Ukrainian forces swiftly advanced overnight to the town of Volokhiv Yar, and continued driving towards Sevchenkove during the morning of the 8^th. Russian forces in the region were hurriedly sent to Sevchenkove to stall what was rapidly becoming a clear danger to a significant section of the frontlines around Chkalovske. However, by the time Russian forces began to arrive, the Ukrainian spearhead had already been rapidly reinforced with mobile reserves, as Ukrainian commanders pushed in units to take advantage of the unexpectedly rapid advance. This rapid Ukrainian reinforcement of local success allowed its spearhead forces to encircle and then bypass Sevchenkove rather than stopping to fully defeat Russian forces there, driving on towards the strategically critical railhead junction city of Kupyansk.