Denys Prokopenko

The advance of Russian forces in the northern Kharkiv region was successfully halted by Ukrainian forces, according to Michael Carpenter, a representative of the US National Security Council, in a televised interview. Carpenter highlighted the high number of Russian casualties and emphasized that their objectives were not met.

The "Azov" brigade resumed combat tasks at the front.

This was announced at a briefing by the spokesman of the Main Directorate of the National Guard of Ukraine, Colonel Mykola Urshalovich, quoted by "Unian".

"The legendary Azov brigade was replenished and began to perform combat tasks in the Serebryansk Forest region," he said.

Day 541 of the invasion of Ukraine. Summary of key events in the last 24 hours:

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has destroyed hundreds of hospitals and other institutions, left doctors without drugs to fight cancer and made operations impossible, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Ukrainian officials said today that Russian forces had launched a comprehensive attack on the Azovstal steel and iron works plant near Mariupol.
As the commander of the Azov regiment, Denys Prokopenko, said, the Ukrainian forces inside the factory have been waging "difficult, bloody battles" for the second day, reports the BBC.

Ukraine said on May 5 Russia was "trying to destroy" its remaining soldiers holed up in Mariupol's Azovstal steel plant, with Kiev's last defenders in the battered city saying Moscow forces have broken into the giant factory.

"Russian occupiers are focusing on blocking and trying to destroy Ukrainian units in the Azovstal area," Kiev's army said in a statement.