The total area of the territory returned to Ukraine's control in Kharkiv and Pivdenno-Buzke directions is more than 700 square kilometers, Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksiy Hromov said.

"The grouping of the defense forces continues to conduct active operations in Kherson direction. There are battles to improve the situation along the front line. The enemy is partially demoralized, but continues to resist. In general, our units in some areas have advanced deep into the enemy's defense from two to several tens of kilometers. A number of settlements have been liberated. The total area of the territory returned to Ukraine's control in Kharkiv and Pivdenno-Buzke directions is more than 700 square kilometers," Hromov said at a briefing at the Military Media Center on Thursday.

According to him, as part of the defense operation in Kharkiv direction in order to resume the lost territories, since the beginning of the week, the Armed Forces of Ukraine, in cooperation with National Guard units and other law enforcement agencies, have been actively acting in certain areas.

"At this time, military units have wedged into the enemy's defense to a depth of up to 50 km... In the course of conducting active operations in Kharkiv direction, more than 20 settlements have been liberated," Hromov stressed.

He noted that in Kramatorsk direction, the AFU units advanced to a depth of up to 2 km, while conducting offensive operations in Sloviansk direction, the AFU advanced to a depth of up to 3 km and liberated the settlement of Ozerne.