Governor: Russia trying to storm Luhansk Oblast's Bilohorivka, situation 'really difficult'

Luhansk Oblast Governor Artem Lysohor. (Artem Lysohor/Telegram)

Russian troops have been trying to storm the village of Bilohorivka in Luhansk Oblast for three days, but the situation is under Ukraine's control, Governor Artem Lysohor told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's (RFE/RL) on May 22.

Ukrainian forces liberated Bilohorivka, located around 90 kilometers (55 miles) northwest of the center of Russian-occupied Luhansk, in September 2022. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed to have captured the village again on May 20.

The situation in Bilohorivka is "really difficult," as well as in the Serebrianskyi Forest near Kreminna and near the villages of Terny and Nevske on the border of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts, Lysohor said.

"There is an escalation in (the direction of) Bilohorivka now. Our forces control the situation," the Luhansk Oblast governor said.

"The enemy tried to attack the Ternivka direction several times before with columns and (conduct) 'meat assaults' supported by heavy artillery," he added.

Ukrainian soldiers are striking at Russian troops "and fulfilling their tasks," according to Lysohor.

According to Ukraine's General Staff, Russian troops continue their assaults on the town of Chasiv Yar, which has been seen as Russia's next target in Donetsk Oblast.

Russia also launched a new offensive with a reported 30,000 troops on May 10, targeting Kharkiv Oblast, which is situated near the two countries' shared border in northeastern Ukraine.

Moscow's forces had managed to advance as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) in the region but had been halted by the first line of defense, President Volodymyr Zelensky said last week.

Read also: Zelensky: Situation in Donetsk Oblast difficult but there is military success in Kharkiv Oblast