Symbol supply, Getty ImagesImage caption, Police are evacuating villages and Kviv has despatched reinforcements to the Kharkiv area following Russia’s incursionArticle informationAuthor, James Gregory and James WaterhouseRole, BBC NewsReporting from London and Ukraine15 Might 2024, 10:42 BSTUpdated 35 mins agoUkraine has pulled again its troops from a number of villages within the border area of Kharkiv following persisted force from Russian forces. Infantrymen had come underneath heavy hearth and moved to “extra tremendous positions” in two spaces of the north-eastern area, an army spokesman mentioned.Right through the process the two-year conflict, Ukraine has most often used this kind of language to indicate a retreat.President Volodymyr Zelensky has cancelled all upcoming overseas journeys as troops fight to comprise the brand new cross-border incursion, with a number of cities and villages coming underneath heavy hearth. His press secretary, Sergiy Nykyforov, mentioned the president had “urged that each one global occasions scheduled for the approaching days be postponed and new dates coordinated”.Moscow has claimed its forces have now taken keep an eye on of 2 extra settlements within the area – Lukyantski and Hlyboke – and the village of Robotyne, within the southern Zaporizhzhia area.Ukraine has no longer commented on those claims but.A spokesman for the Ukrainian army mentioned in a commentary that the verdict to transport troops from the Lukyantsi and Vovchansk spaces was once taken to “maintain the lives of our servicemen and steer clear of losses”. The seize of Vovchansk, regardless that no longer of explicit militarily importance, would constitute a blow to Ukrainian morale.The army spokesman mentioned that the location “stays tough” however insisted that its forces have been “no longer permitting the Russian occupiers to realize a foothold”.Ukraine’s head of intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, had previous mentioned troops had stabilised the entrance line.1000’s of civilians have fled west in fresh days in opposition to Ukraine’s second-largest town of Kharkiv – together with from town of Vovchansk, situated 74km (45 miles) away. Oleksiy Kharkivskiy, Vovchansk’s police leader, mentioned on social media that preventing was once intense and Russian forces have been setting up positions throughout the the city. “The placement is very tough. The enemy is taking positions at the streets of town of Vovchansk,” he mentioned. Kyiv has despatched reinforcements to the broader Kharkiv area following Friday’s incursion – noticed as considered one of Russia’s most important flooring assaults because it introduced its full-scale invasion of the rustic in February 2022. “Further forces are being deployed, and there are reserves,” President Zelensky’s place of work mentioned on Wednesday.US Secretary of State Antony Blinken introduced an extra $2bn in army assist to the Ukrainian conflict effort whilst on a talk over with to Kyiv. Mr Blinken informed journalists on Wednesday the fund would offer guns “as of late” and spend money on Ukraine’s business base. “We are dashing ammunition, armoured automobiles, missiles, air defences to get them to the entrance traces,” Mr Blinken mentioned.”We have now been thru difficult instances in combination, I’ve each and every self belief that in combination we will be able to get thru those tough moments.”Clear of Kharkiv, Russia mentioned previous it had briefly closed two primary airports within the south-western area of Kazan after centered Ukrainian drone assaults. Ukraine has no longer commented at the strike. Russia’s Overseas Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova additionally mentioned on Wednesday that Ukrainian assaults in Russia’s Belgorod border area have been an illustration of the “criminal activity” of Kyiv and the Western powers which again it. Not like with Ukrainian territory which Russia occupies, Kyiv has reluctantly agreed with western allies not to use the missiles it supplies on objectives inside of Russia itself.