Ukraine denies Russian claims of capturing village of Tabaivka in Kharkiv region
Russian media have been disseminating reports claiming the capture of Tabaivka in the Kupiansk direction, but the Ukrainian Armed Forces (UAF) have refuted these claims. The head of the Press Service of the Ukrainian Land Forces Command, Volodymyr Fityo, said during a broadcast on the Espresso television channel that fighting continues in and around the village.
"The enemy's current boasting in their public releases about Tabaivka does not reflect reality. Combat actions are ongoing there; therefore, the enemy has not captured Tabaivka," the statement read.
Fityo noted that the minimal advances in the area are "all the aggressors have managed to achieve." Additionally, he emphasized that the primary task for commanders is to preserve the lives of Ukrainian service members.
Furthermore, Fityo remarked that the settlement of Krokhmalne in the Kupiansk district is an important target for Russian troops. He added that the occupiers need some sort of "victory" ahead of the presidential elections in Russia. According to him, before the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Krokhmalne had a population of 45 people, but it is now devoid of civilians and completely destroyed.
"The enemy presents this as a victory on a scale comparable to the taking of Berlin. This is all that the occupying forces can boast of today," said the head of the Press Service of the UAF Land Forces Command.
He mentioned that the loss of Krokhmalne is not as significant for the UAF since the Ukrainian military has moved to more advantageous positions.
Volodymyr Fityo had already reported on January 22 that the village of Krokhmalne, seized by Russian occupiers in the Kharkiv region, has been totally destroyed. According to the lieutenant colonel, the Ukrainian soldiers defending the settlement had been relocated to more secure and better-equipped positions.
On December 26, the Commander-in-Chief of the UAF, Valeriy Zaluzhny, reported that Mariinka in the Donetsk region no longer exists, but Ukrainian forces still remain in the northern part of the town.