The Russian backed-local authorities in the north of Kharkiv region have announced that the Russian military is leaving the area "temporarily."
The Military-Civic Administration of the Vovchansk district, through which many Russian supplies travel toward the front lines, said in a brief Telegram post: "Russian military are leaving Volchansk‼️ [Vovchansk] temporarily. City’s population continues to evacuate."
The administration quoted a member of the Russian parliament, Evgeniy Evtushenko, as saying that the local headquarters would be moved across the border to the Russian city of Belgorod.
“In order to save civilians’ lives, Russian Armed Forces have made a decision to leave our city. [The] City’s administration will be moved to Belgorod. Its branches will be in Kursk, Yakutsk, Vladivostok and St. Peter[s]burg till the situation in the city stabilizes," Evtushenko said.
"Russian armed forces will return control of all Russian land in Kharkiv region," he added.
Vovchansk has been an important link in the Russian military's supply chain from Belgorod, and it remained under Russian control even as Ukrainian forces retook some territory north and east of the city of Kharkiv in May.