Russian Invaders Lose Their ‘Berlin’ Battle in the Kharkiv Region

In honor of the Day of Remembrance and Victory over Nazism in World War II, the 13th Khartiia Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine successfully liberated a forest area to the north of Lyptsi in the Kharkiv region, which had been referred to by the Russians as ‘Berlin.’

The brigade’s press service announced this.

The brave soldiers of the 13th Khartiia Brigade, in cooperation with other units of the Ukrainian Defense Forces, completed a significant operation, liberating a total area of over 200 hectares.

The offensive operations lasted five and a half months — the operation was launched in November 2024.

Thanks to the coordinated efforts of the units, the enemy was pushed further away from Kharkiv, and control over an important natural and tactically significant area was restored. During this time, the enemy lost nearly 1,500 soldiers killed and wounded, over 200 units of weaponry, and 175 pieces of equipment.

The breakthrough of the enemy’s defenses and the capture of a strategic foothold at the initial stage of the operation were achieved through the joint efforts of the units of the 13th Khartiia Brigade and the 92nd Ivan Sirko Assault Brigade.

The chronicle of the first days of the operation can be seen in the documentary film The Movement Began, which premiered during the United News telethon on May 7 at 10:15 p.m.

On May 9, the film will be released on the official YouTube channel of the 13th Khartiia Brigade, as well as on the Megogo, Kyivstar TV, and SWEET.TV platforms.

The operation marked another step in strengthening the defense of the Kharkiv region and showcases the effectiveness of meticulous planning, preparation, and the joint actions of the National Guard, the Armed Forces, and other components of the Ukrainian Defense Forces.

Thus, on the 80th anniversary of the fall of the Nazi regime, ‘Berlin’ has been liberated once again — but this time from Russian Nazis.

The Combat Path of the 13th Khartiia Brigade

The combat path of the 13th Khartiia Brigade started in the spring of 2022, near Kharkiv. Khartiia participated in the Ukrainian counteroffensive, driving Russian invaders back across the state border.

In March 2023, Khartiia joined the National Guard of Ukraine, becoming the core of the 13th Operational Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine and joining the “Guard of the Offensive.” It gained combat experience in the Svatove sector, the Serebryansky forest, Ocheretyne, and Bakhmut. In June 2024, the 13th Khartiia Brigade halted Russia’s renewed offensive on Kharkiv, participating in the battles for Vovchansk. Currently, the brigade is defending the Kharkiv region from invaders in the direction of the village of Lyptsi.