Russia-Ukraine Crisis: Why is Kharkiv important? | Explained Premium

Ukraine’s counteroffensives in Kharkiv have become a symbol of the country’s resistance to Russian occupation even as it remains one of Moscow’s major targets.

The story so far: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday said the situation in the city of Kharkiv — a town in the northeastern part of the country that has seen intense fighting since Russia invaded the country in February 2022 — has stabilised. President Zelensky visited Kharkiv, located around 30km south of the Russia-Ukraine border, on Thursday and held meetings with officials to assess the situation in the area. “Our counterattacks are ongoing, including in other parts of the Kharkiv border area,” he said in a video message after the visit. 

President Zelenskyy also accused Russia of trying to “expand the war.” 

Kharkiv has been one of Russia’s prime targets since it invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The region was the centre of intense fighting at the beginning of the invasion, until Ukrainian forces managed to push Russia back in May 2022. Russia, however, continued to shell the Kharkiv region, destroying critical infrastructure like thermal power plants and educational institutions. 

By October 2022, Ukraine had control over most of Kharkiv oblast. Russia, however, kept up its attack for most of 2023. It renewed the offensive in the region in May 2024, and Ukraine’s commander-in-chief on May 12 said the situation in Kharkiv has “significantly worsened.”

Kharkiv is the second-largest city in Ukraine after the capital Kyiv, population-wise. It is a major industrial town in the country and is home to multiple institutes of higher education. This makes Kharkiv a significant economic asset for Ukraine. The city, and the larger oblast of which it is a part, have been repeatedly attacked by Russia since it invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Ukraine’s counteroffensives in the region have become a symbol of the country’s resistance to Russian occupation even as it remains one of Moscow’s major targets.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday said his forces are advancing in the Kharkiv region to create a buffer zone to protect his country’s border regions. However, the city of Kharkiv itself is not a part of his plan, Mr. Putin added. 

Mr. Putin also blamed Ukraine for shelling Russia’s border regions, calling it the reason for his country’s renewed offensive in Kharkiv. “I said publicly that if this continues, we will be forced to create a security zone, a buffer zone. That is what we are doing,” he was quoted as saying.