The battle of Kharkiv was a military engagement that took place from February to May 2022 in and around the city of Kharkiv in Ukraine, as part of the eastern Ukraine offensive during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Kharkiv, located just south of the Russia–Ukraine border and a predominately Russian-speaking city, is the second-largest city in Ukraine and was considered a major target for the Russian military early in the invasion.
By 13 May, Ukrainian forces pushed Russian units attempting to encircle the city back towards the Russian border. Additionally, it was reported that Russia had withdrawn units from the area. The Institute for the Study of War opined that Ukraine had "likely won the battle of Kharkiv". However, bombardment continued, and by 20 May, Russian forces were again shelling Kharkiv city. As a result of the subsequent counteroffensive in the Kharkiv Oblast, Russian forces located close to the city were pushed back, resulting in significantly reduced pressure on Kharkiv.
On 12 June, Amnesty International claimed it found the evidence of widespread use of widely-banned cluster munitions by Russia, such as 9N210/9N235 cluster bombs, and "scatterable" munitions that eject small mines that explode later in timed intervals. Four months after the battle, Ukraine launched a major counteroffensive in September to recapture territories that were still under Russian control in Kharkiv Oblast.
Battle
Commencement of operations (24–26 February) On 24 February, Russian forces amassed in Belgorod crossed the border and began advancing towards Kharkiv, clashing with Ukrainian forces along the way. Pavlo Fedosenko, commander of the 92nd Mechanized Brigade, noted that explosions were heard outside his military unit at 4 a.m. Part of the body of forces broke off towards Vovchansk, capturing the city after a short battle and heading south towards Izium. Russian forces began encircling Kharkiv from the north and eastern directions.
By 25 February, fierce fighting had broken out in the northern suburbs of the city, near the village of Tsyrkuny, where Ukrainian forces were able to hold against Russian forces. Russian artillery barrages hit an apartment block in the city, killing a young boy. On 26 February, Oleh Synyehubov, the Ukrainian Governor of Kharkiv Oblast announced a curfew and that non-military vehicles on the street would be "liquidated."
American officials reported that the heaviest fighting of the entire conflict was occurring at Kharkiv.
In the early morning of 27 February, Russian forces destroyed a gas pipeline in Kharkiv.
Fighting in the city (27–28 February)
On the 27 February, two companies of the Russian 2nd Guards Spetsnaz Brigade entered Kharkiv proper. According to Ukrainian officials, some Russian soldiers attempting to enter the city from the west were stopped at Pisochyn.
The Russian companies were cut off as soon as they had advanced into the city. Ukrainian officials claimed that their forces had destroyed at least 6 GAZ Tigr-Ms, half of Russian military vehicles that had advanced into Kharkiv. Russian Ministry of Defence spokesman Igor Konashenkov claimed that Russian forces had secured the surrender of the Ukrainian 302nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Regiment and captured 471 Ukrainian soldiers, a claim that Ukrainian officials denied.
A fierce firefight broke out at the School No. 134, where one Russian company was pinned down. Synyehubov reporting that heavy fighting was occurring, and Ministry of Internal Affairs advisor Anton Herashchenko claiming street fighting was underway in the city centre.
On the morning of 28 February, the Russian company broke out and rejoined the main body of Russian forces outside the city. Synyehubov reported that Ukrainian forces had regained full control of the city. He added that dozens of Russian soldiers had surrendered. Fedosenko stated that the Ukrainian forces “drove the Russians out of the city, dug in and that's it.”
Intensified strikes (28 February – 2 April) On 28 February, Herashchenko claimed that Russian rocket strikes on the city had killed dozens of civilians, while Synyehubov reported that eleven civilians were killed and dozens wounded, and Ihor Terekhov, the mayor of Kharkiv, reporting that nine civilians were killed and 37 were wounded. One of those killed was a 25-year-old student from Algeria, who was killed by a Russian sniper.