Prelude
On 8 May 2024, the governor of Kharkiv Oblast, Oleh Syniehubov, reported a large gathering of Russian forces north of the region.[9]
Timeline
According to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Russian forces shelled positions with guided bombs in the direction of Vovchansk during the day and added artillery fire at night. An attempt to break through the front line was recorded at 5:00 am on 10 May.[10] Up to 4-5 Russian infantry battalions crossed the state border, reportedly capturing the villages of Krasne, Borysivka, Strilecha, and Pylna.[11][12][13]
According to Ukrainian military journalist Yuri Butusov, the border area had been a "gray zone" behind the Ukrainian defensive line with no Ukrainian military presence.[11] Syniehubov also referred to the affected villages as a "gray zone",[6] claiming that "the Ukrainian armed forces have not lost a single meter".[14] According to DeepStateMap.Live analysts, citing confidential sources, Russian forces had occupied the village of Pylna several days before 10 May, but poor communication within the Ukrainian military had prevented any action from being taken.[15]
Later in the afternoon, reserve units were sent to Kharkiv Oblast to hold the front line, according to the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.[16]
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that artillery has so far been able to repel the Russian offensive in Kharkiv Oblast and that Russia may pull more reserves to support the offensive but Ukraine’s armed forces are ready to resist them.[17]
Later that day a senior Ukrainian commander said that Russian forces had pushed Ukrainian forces back by one kilometer from the Russian-Ukrainian border and were aiming to advance 10 kilometers into Ukraine. The border city of Vovchansk was subjected to "massive shelling" and residents were being evacuated.[18]
Fighting was also reported in the villages of Pletenivka [uk], Hatyshche [uk],[19] Hoptivka,[20] Morokhovets,[21] Oliinykove and Ohirtseve [uk].[22] Ukraine's 42nd Mechanized Brigade published footage of its "Perun" unit destroying four Russian BMP infantry fighting vehicles in the area of Pylna using combat drones, claiming to have inflicted several casualties.[23][24]
Ukrainian Ground Forces
Ukraine
| combatant1 = 
Russia
