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Russian President Vladimir Putin said that he has no plans to recapture the city of Kharkiv, during a visit to China on Friday. Putin clarified that Moscow's military action in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region is aimed at establishing a buffer zone.
However Oleh Syniehubov, the regional chief, reported on Friday via Telegram that at least two people were killed and 19 wounded after Russian aircraft bombed the city - with four in critical condition.
And Putin added that Moscow's military intervention in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region is geared towards creating a buffer zone.
Putin's remarks mark his first words on the offensive which began on May 10, which led to a new front and the displacement of thousands of Ukrainians within days.
Earlier on Friday, a significant Ukrainian drone strike on the Russia-occupied Crimean Peninsula resulted in a power outage in Sevastopol, following another attack which damaged aircraft and fuel storage at an airbase.
Meanwhile, in southern Russia, authorities reported a refinery was also set on fire.
Putin told reporters during his visit, that Moscow retaliated against Ukrainian shelling of Russia's Belgorod region by launching attacks in the Kharkiv region. He emphasised that if the shelling persisted, Russia will have to establish a security or sanitary zone, which is currently underway. He asserted that Russian troops are advancing daily according to plan, reiterating that there are no current plans to seize Kharkiv.
Ukrainian forces are trying to halt Russian advances in the Kharkiv region, which kicked off late last week.
In a bid to boost troop numbers, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed two laws on Friday, allowing prisoners to enlist in the army, whilst also significantly raising fines for draft evasion. The controversial mobilisation law comes into effect on Saturday.
Russia had previously enlisted prisoners in the conflict. The new legislation allows for parole from imprisonment and subsequent enlistment for military service for certain individuals charged with criminal offences, excluding those convicted of crimes against Ukraine's national security.
In response to the recent escalation, Ukrainian authorities have evacuated approximately 8,000 civilians from the town of Vovchansk, located just five kilometres from the Russian border. The Russian military's strategy typically involves aerial bombardment to devastate towns and villages before ground troops move in.
Ukraine's military chief, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, said on Friday that Russia's new offensive has extended the active hostilities zone by nearly 70 kilometres, aiming to compel Ukraine to spread its forces and deploy reserve troops.
In the Kharkiv region, Zelenskyy said on Friday that Russian forces have advanced 10 kilometers from the border.
