Russian offensives in the first months of its invasion of Ukraine left large swathes of the Kharkiv Oblast under Russian control, including the key logistical hubs of Izium and Kupiansk.[25][26] The majority of Kharkiv Oblast remained within Ukrainian control, however, including the city of Kharkiv, which was subjected to continuous Russian rocket, artillery, and cluster munition bombardment that persisted into August.[27]