Ukraine’s forces not spotting attempts by Russians to cross Vovcha river in Kharkiv region

This was reported by Pavlo Shamshyn, Spokesperson for the Kharkiv Operational Tactical Group, during a televised interview, according to Ukrinform.

“Currently, there are no attempts to cross the Vovcha river,” Shamshyn stated.

He explained that in order to successfully cross the river, the enemy would need to construct a pontoon bridge.

“In the current conditions of the war, building such a crossing is practically impossible, as even the approach of specialized equipment to the river would be immediately detected by our drones. All necessary means would then be used to destroy the equipment,” Shamshyn assured.

The Spokesperson noted that the only viable tactic for the enemy in the area is the deployment of small infantry groups.

“The last such attempt occurred several weeks ago when the Vovcha river was still frozen. A small group of enemy infantry managed to reach the opposite bank but was immediately eliminated by Ukrainian forces,” he noted.

According to Shamshyn, the situation near Vovchansk and Lypsti has not changed significantly over the past week and remains tense.

The Spokesperson emphasized that in recent days, the enemy had not launched missile strikes or used aviation in this sector. However, Russian UAV activity remains intense.

Shamshyn revealed that Russian forces are utilizing remaining infrastructure in the Vovchansk area, including basements and underground communication networks, for covert troop movements.

“They use these underground passages mainly for concealed movement of infantry and equipment. However, we employ drone surveillance to detect such movements and promptly apply precision firepower to eliminate them,” he stated.

He added that the Russians are deploying portable electronic warfare (EW) systems, but they are not always effective.

“Our UAV crews have the necessary capabilities to change frequencies when needed and continue to target the enemy. If the Russians accumulate in a basement and we detect them in time, those basements often become their mass graves,” Shamshyn declared.

When asked about Russian attempts to use various engineering structures for surprise attacks, Shamshyn noted that Vovchansk is the only area where they can use underground tunnels.

In some cases, Russian forces break through basement walls to move between different sections of the same building undetected. However, he clarified that not all sewage systems are suitable for troop movement, as some require special equipment to remain inside for long periods.

“Yes, they have attempted to use the sewer system, but I wouldn’t call it a widespread tactic in Vovchansk,” he added.

Earlier, it was reported that Russian forces in Kharkiv region had begun using a new tactic on the Oskil river – deploying reconnaissance and strike drones to support infantry groups during river crossings.