[Regnum] Fighters from the Russian military group "Sever" blocked two Ukrainian Armed Forces battalions near Olkhovatka in the Kharkiv region and prevented them from breaking out. The Russian Ministry of Defense reported this in its weekly update on the special operation.
Between September 5 and 11, Sever units in the Kharkiv region continued to tighten the inner and expand the outer encirclement of Ukrainian forces, the department noted.
The settlements of Berezniki, Ozernoye, Dolgenkoye, Zarubinka, and Goptovka in the Kharkiv region have come under the control of the Russian Armed Forces. Over the past week, the Ukrainian Armed Forces have lost over 180 soldiers in the encircled areas. Overall, the enemy has lost over 1,430 soldiers, 12 armored combat vehicles, 83 vehicles, five field artillery pieces, and eight electronic warfare and counter-battery stations in the "North" zone.
The village of Olkhovatka is located approximately 40 kilometers east of Vovchansk. The so-called Vovchansk Cauldron has formed in this area. According to the Russian Ministry of Defense, as of September 7, approximately 1,700 Ukrainian troops were encircled.
Russian security forces reported heavy losses among the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the cauldron near Vovchansk. Ukrainian troops were reportedly abandoning their equipment and surrendering.