Ukraine Says it Repels Russian Attacks in Kharkiv Region, Gains in East 

Ukrainian servicemen ride atop of an armored personnel carrier (APC) past a destroyed building in the town of Kupiansk, Kharkiv region on August 17, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)
Ukrainian servicemen ride atop of an armored personnel carrier (APC) past a destroyed building in the town of Kupiansk, Kharkiv region on August 17, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)
TT

Ukraine Says it Repels Russian Attacks in Kharkiv Region, Gains in East 

Ukrainian servicemen ride atop of an armored personnel carrier (APC) past a destroyed building in the town of Kupiansk, Kharkiv region on August 17, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)
Ukrainian servicemen ride atop of an armored personnel carrier (APC) past a destroyed building in the town of Kupiansk, Kharkiv region on August 17, 2023, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AFP)

The situation in the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv is "difficult" but Ukraine's forces are repelling Russian attacks and have re-taken several square kilometers on the eastern front over the past week, a deputy defense minister said on Monday.

The Ukrainian military said last week that Russia was attacking towards Kupiansk, a town in the Kharkiv region.

"The situation in the Kupiansk direction is difficult. The enemy is not leaving plans to move forward, the enemy is pulling up additional forces," Hanna Maliar told the national television broadcaster.

"We are confident in our defenders, but it is very difficult for them there and the enemy is not advancing there," she said.

Maliar said that Ukrainian forces were advancing south of Bakhmut, the city occupied by Russian forces in May after a bloody months-long struggle, and had liberated another three square kilometers over the past week.

Reuters was not able to verify the reports.

Maliar said there were no significant changes in the situation in the south, where Ukrainian forces are trying to split Russian forces and reach the Sea of Azov.

"We should not underestimate the enemy," Maliar said. "We should all be patient and support our armed forces."

The Ukrainian military said on Thursday it had made gains on the southeastern front, pushing forward from the newly liberated village of Urozhaine.

However, a US official said last week Ukrainian forces did not appear likely to be able to reach and retake the Russian-occupied strategic southeastern city of Melitopol during their counteroffensive.



Revolutionary Guards: Israel’s Skies Are Open to Iran

IRGC Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini. (Tasnim)
IRGC Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini. (Tasnim)
TT

Revolutionary Guards: Israel’s Skies Are Open to Iran

IRGC Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini. (Tasnim)
IRGC Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini. (Tasnim)

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) said Israel’s skies are "open and unprotected" against Iran, with "no obstacles" to launching new operations at the right time.

The statement denied any damage to Iran’s air defenses or missile production following an Israeli strike in late October.

IRGC Brig. Gen. Ali Mohammad Naeini said joint military drills with the Iranian army would continue, showcasing what he called "a new chapter in Iran’s deterrence power."

The drills include revealing underground missile bases and testing ballistic missiles.

Iran is fully prepared for "major and complex battles of any scale," Naeini said, as tensions with Israel and regional developments grow.

Speaking at a press conference, he referred to recent changes in Syria and the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. He accused Iran's enemies of using "cognitive warfare" to falsely portray the country as weakened.

Naeini pointed to Iran’s strikes on Israel in April and October, calling them "just a small part of our limitless power."

"The skies over occupied territories remain open and unprotected for us. We can act with more precision, speed, and destructive force," he added.

He accused Israel of spreading false narratives to weaken Iran’s morale but vowed to "correct the enemy’s distorted perception."

"We are always ready, and when the orders come, we will show our strength again," he warned.

Naeini described the military drills as a display of "strength and deterrence" and said their message "will reach the enemy in the coming days."

Iran’s army and the IRGC have begun three months of annual military drills across land, sea, and air, aimed at addressing new security threats and simulating real battles. The exercises, both defensive and offensive, aim to boost military readiness, counter terrorism and sabotage, and strengthen national morale.

Naeini dismissed Israeli claims that Iran’s defenses were weakened after the October 26 attack, saying missile production remains unaffected and defense systems are fully operational.

On warnings of a possible third Iranian strike on Israel, Naeini said: "There is no obstacle to new operations when the time is right." He promised future actions would be "more powerful and surprising."

He accused Israel of suffering heavy losses, claiming 1,000 Israeli soldiers have died since the start of the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation in Gaza. Supporting resistance movements remains central to Iran’s military doctrine, he said.

Naeini emphasized that Iran does not seek war, but the drills are meant to strengthen deterrence and defense.

Iranian media reported that air defense units conducted exercises near sensitive sites, including the Natanz nuclear facility. Special forces were also deployed in western Iran to address security threats.

In early October, Iran launched 200 missiles towards Israel, with Tel Aviv reporting that most were intercepted by its air defenses or those of its allies.

Tehran said the attack was in retaliation for Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and an IRGC commander in a strike on southern Beirut in September, along with the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in July.

On October 26, Israeli warplanes targeted military sites in Iran, including missile facilities and radar systems, destroying them.