2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive

2022 Kharkiv counteroffensive
Part of the eastern front of the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Map of major attacks during the counteroffensive
Date 6 September – October 2022 Location Eastern Ukraine (Kharkiv Oblast, Donetsk Oblast, and Luhansk Oblast) Result Ukrainian victory[1][2][3][4]
Belligerents
Ukraine	Russia  Donetsk PR  Luhansk PR
Commanders and leaders
Valerii Zaluzhnyi[5] Oleksandr Syrskyi[6]	Alexander Lapin[7]
Units involved
92nd Mechanized Brigade 25th Airborne Brigade 80th Air Assault Brigade 81st Airmobile Brigade 14th Mechanized Brigade 112th Territorial Defense Brigade 113th Territorial Defense Brigade 49th Infantry Battalion 93rd Btn., 107th Brigade 247th Btn., 127th Brigade 249th Btn., 127th Brigade 26th Artillery Brigade 40th Artillery Brigade 43rd Artillery Brigade 44th Artillery Brigade 107th Rocket Artillery Brigade Ukrainian National Guard	11th Army Corps 2nd Guards Motor Rifle Division 4th Guards Tank Division 64th Motor Rifle Brigade Donetsk People's Militia SOBR
Strength
Russian claim: 8 times larger than the strength of Russian troops (first phase)[8]	First Phase: 18,000 troops, 500 tanks[9][10] Second Phase: 5,500 troops[11]
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Per Ukraine (first phase): Tens of thousands killed, captured or deserted[12] 4th Guards Tank Division: ~5,000 casualties, 90-100 T-80 tanks destroyed or captured[13][14] 11th Army Corps: 6,000+ casualties, 200 vehicles destroyed[12][15] Per Ukraine (second phase): 1,500+ killed, 5,000 prisoners[16][17]

On September 6, 2022, the Armed Forces of Ukraine launched a major counteroffensive^[a] against the Russian military during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[18] As Ukraine announced the start of the Kherson counteroffensive in southern Ukraine in late August, Ukrainian forces also began a second counteroffensive in early September in Kharkiv Oblast, in eastern Ukraine.^[19]

As the Ukrainian military broke through Russian defensive lines, it recaptured major cities in the matter of days. On September 7, the second day of the counteroffensive, the Ukrainian military advanced over 20 kilometres (12 mi) into Russian-held territory. The next day, Ukraine recaptured Balakliia and Shevchenkove as Russian forces withdrew and fled. On the 9th, Russia began announcing for evacuations in nearby areas as the Ukrainian military continued its advance. The next day, Ukraine retook the key cities of Izium and Kupiansk, securing access to the Oskil River. By the 11th, Ukraine has successfully advanced up to 70 kilometres (43 mi) from the pre-counteroffensive front line. In turn, Russia's defence ministry announced the withdrawal of all forces west of the Oskil.

The pace of the counteroffensive then began to slow, but continued until early October. By September 13, the Ukrainian military continued advancing and crossed the Oskil River. Fighting continued over the next two weeks as Ukraine advanced and recaptured smaller villages. By September 26, Ukraine retook Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi on the east of the Oskil, securing its presence on both sides of the river. By late September, Ukraine began encircling the city of Lyman before capturing it on October 1.

During the offensive, Ukraine retook over 500 settlements and 12,000 square kilometers of territory in the Kharkiv region.^[20][21] This blitzkrieg disrupted Russian supply lines and significantly hindered its operations in the war.^[22] It also served as a morale boost for Ukraine, as it continued to receive Western military aid during the war.^[23]

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