In the morning, analysts from the Institute for War Studies reported that on 20 January, Russian troops advanced along the Kupyansk-Svatove-Kreminna line and captured the village of Krokhmalne.
The spokesperson for the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Volodymyr Fityo, said that the Defence Forces had withdrawn to reserve positions near the village of Krokhmalne in Kharkiv Region to save the lives of their soldiers, Ukrinform reports.
"Krokhmalne is a settlement with a population of 45 people before the start of the large-scale war. Let's say it's five houses... And these five houses were destroyed by the Russian aggressor. Accordingly, our main goal is to save the lives of Ukrainian defenders. Their positions were moved to the reserve positions prepared by this time, where they are now holding the defence, preventing the enemy from advancing further," said Fityo.
The spokesperson recalled that the frontline is shifting daily, and "what happened is a temporary phenomenon". The village had already been occupied by Russians at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, and the Defence Forces recaptured the territory during the Kharkiv offensive.