Russian occupation of Kharkiv Oblast
The Russian occupation of Kharkiv Oblast, officially the Kharkov Military–Civilian Administration, is an ongoing military occupation that began on 24 February 2022, after Russian forces invaded Ukraine and began capturing and occupying parts of Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine. Russian forces failed to capture the capital city of the oblast, Kharkiv. However, other major cities including Izium, Kupiansk, and Balakliia were captured by Russian forces. The city of Chuhuiv was captured by Russian forces on 25 February, but was recaptured by Ukrainian forces on 7 March. As of November 2022, Russian forces only occupy a small portion of land in the Kharkiv Oblast. In early September 2022, Ukraine began a major counteroffensive, regaining several settlements in the region and ending numerous Russian military or military-civilian administrations. By 11 September, Russia had withdrawn from most of the settlements it previously occupied in the oblast, including Izium, Kupiansk and Vovchansk. The Russian Ministry of Defense also announced a formal withdrawal of Russian forces from all of Kharkiv Oblast west of the Oskil river stating that an "operation to curtail and transfer troops" was underway." The Kharkov Military-Civilian Administration, originally based in Kupiansk, briefly relocated to Vovchansk on 8 September 2022, but moved again before the city was recaptured by Ukrainian forces on 11 September 2022. As of 18 September 2022, Russian forces only occupy a small strip of Kharkiv Oblast east of the Oskil. On 13 September 2022, Ukrainian forces had reportedly crossed the Oskil and had set up positions at multiple locations. On 16 September 2022, Ukrainian forces claimed to have recaptured Kupiansk-Vuzlovyi, Kupiansk's sister city on the eastern bank of the Oskil. On 3 October 2022, Russian forces fled from Nyzhche Solone, Pidlyman, Nyzhnya Zhuravka, Borova, and Shyikivka, allowing Ukrainian authorities to regain control of almost all of the oblast. History 

The city of Izium was captured by Russian forces on 1 April 2022, beginning the Russian military occupation of the city. On 21 April 2022, Russia appointed Vitaly Ganchev as head of the Kharkiv Oblast military-civilian administration. On 19 August Andrey Alekseyenko was appointed first deputy head of the Kharkiv Oblast military-civilian administration and Prime Minister. On 8 July 2022, Vitaly Ganchev said that Kharkiv Oblast is an "inalienable" part of Russian territory and intended for Kharkiv Oblast to be annexed by the Russian Federation via referendum. But on 11 August, Ganchev told the Russia-24 TV channel that the authorities of the territories of the Kharkiv Oblast controlled by Russian troops are not yet ready to discuss a referendum on joining Russia, because "only 20 percent and no more" of the region is under Russian control. According to Ukrainian intelligence, before the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Russia planned to hold a referendum in Kharkiv Oblast in November, with a planned 75% vote in favour of joining Russia. Ukraine began a counteroffensive in the Kharkiv region in early September. As of 10 September 2022, Ukraine recaptured Izium, ending the military-civilian administration and Russian occupation of the city. Human rights and humanitarian effect 

According to The Guardian, inhabitants of occupied Izium had survived in their basements for three weeks without electricity, heating or running water. The report also claimed that Russian soldiers had prepared lists of individuals to “hunt”: gun owners, wealthy people and others deemed “dangerous” such as businessmen, activists, military, and their families. The Russian army was also accused of barring passage of humanitarian convoys while food and medicine available in the city was running out. Following the end of the Russian occupation on September 10, multiple bodies were discovered in the town of , reportedly killed by Russian troops during the early days of the war. Izium mass graves

Partisan and other resistance 

On 3 April 2022, the Ukrainian government stated that two Russian soldiers were killed and 28 others hospitalized after Ukrainian civilians handed out poisoned cakes to Russian soldiers of the Russian 3rd Motor Rifle Division in Izium. On 11 July 2022, the Russian-appointed military-civilian administration leader of Velykyi Burluk, Yevgeny Yunakov, was assassinated in a car bombing. Control of settlements

See also 
 Russian invasion of Ukraine
 Russo-Ukrainian War
 Outline of the Russo-Ukrainian War
 Russian occupation of Crimea
 Russian occupation of Chernihiv Oblast
 Russian occupation of Donetsk Oblast
 Russian occupation of Zaporizhzhia Oblast
 Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast
 Russian occupation of Kyiv Oblast
 Russian occupation of Luhansk Oblast
 Russian occupation of Mykolaiv Oblast
 Russian occupation of Sumy Oblast
 Russian occupation of Zhytomyr Oblast
 Snake Island during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
 Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation
 Russian annexation of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts

Notes

References 

Kharkiv
Kharkiv military-
civilian administration
States and territories disestablished in 2022
History of Kharkiv Oblast
Northeastern Ukraine campaign
February 2022 events in Ukraine
March 2022 events in Ukraine
April 2022 events in Ukraine
May 2022 events in Ukraine
June 2022 events in Ukraine
July 2022 events in Ukraine
August 2022 events in Ukraine
September 2022 events in Ukraine