One year into Russian offensive, Ukrainian forces show devastated Vovchansk in Kharkiv region (photos)

The first battle for Vovchansk

"Exactly one year ago, the Russians began their offensive on Vovchansk. The occupiers attacked the city all night with artillery, rockets, and air bombs, and in the morning launched assault actions. On May 10, 2024, the 34th Separate Motorized Infantry Battalion Vovkodavy engaged in battle," the statement says.

According to the battalion commander with the call sign 'Fartovyi,' the battalion was initially stationed in the settlement of Tykhe on the eastern outskirts of Vovchansk.

"We stopped the enemy and even carried out offensive actions. Then it was decided to redeploy us into the city of Vovchansk itself. And from the moment we entered Vovchansk, we have remained there for more than 10 months. During this time, we have not lost our positions; the battalion holds its defense sector," he said.

Then, according to him, there was a large-scale operation to liberate the Aggregate Plant in Vovchansk.

"After liberating the plant, we carried out a clearing operation, and it also became part of our area of responsibility," the battalion commander reports.

Defending among ruins

Over the past year, the city has been almost leveled to the ground. The already difficult conditions of urban combat have turned into nearly impossible ones, and defense must be held among ruins.

"All that’s left of the buildings is bricks, fragments of concrete. Underneath — burrows. This is a war in burrows. We’re in burrows, the occupiers are in burrows. We see enemy movement, the infantry emerges and shoots them. That’s the whole tactic. It’s both simple and difficult at the same time," says the battalion commander.

As 'Fartovyi' says, equipment does not enter the city, and artillery work is limited. In these conditions, infantry comes to the forefront.

"Where there is no infantryman — there is no front. The infantry is working here, and all other units support them. You can be a top-class drone operator, but if there are no infantrymen in front of you holding off the enemy, then what’s the point of your flying skills or hitting with a Javelin? The focus is on the infantry, the most attention is on the infantry because the infantry bears the greatest burden of the war," he says.

What Vovchansk looks like a year after the start of the Russian offensive (facebook.com/vovkodavy34)

More than 500 Russians eliminated in 4 months

The enemy conducts assault actions every day, unsuccessfully trying to break through our defense — just since the beginning of this year, in 4 months, the battalion has eliminated more than 500 Russians.

"I think it’s their deliberate tactic. Say, there are three fighters in our position. They attack. The first ones — dead, the second ones — dead… And they keep going, counting on some eventually reaching and jumping in. After all, there’s still shooting, grenades being thrown, and our fighters get exhausted," the commander said.

Sometimes, 'Fartovyi' adds, Russian commanders deceive their superiors by claiming someone entered a position and then request reinforcements in hopes of pushing through.

"As long as we hold them here — we protect the next settlements. We draw the occupiers’ forces to ourselves, who are trying to dislodge us. This weakens the front elsewhere, and other units — assault, airborne — make gains in other directions. And we stand here. That’s our job," 'Fartovyi' adds.

Vovchansk has become a meat grinder for the Russians

According to him, Vovchansk has become a meat grinder for the Russians, into which they constantly throw new "meat," proving that human lives mean nothing to them.

"The occupiers are leveling what was once a beautiful industrial city, proving that all they care about is territory. We will tear this savage horde to pieces for as long as it takes, and we will avenge every destroyed building and every ruined life," the soldier states.

Vovchansk

Vovchansk is a city in Ukraine, in the Chuhuiv district of the Kharkiv region, the center of the Vovchansk urban territory, and the former administrative center of the district of the same name. The city’s name likely comes from the Vovcha River, which flows through it.

In January 2025 it became known that Ukrainian defenders had managed to clear the Vovchansk Aggregate Plant of Russians back in the fall. The operation was carried out by the fighters of the Defense Intelligence.