Khartiia unit building defensive ring in Kharkiv Oblast: 135km of anti-tank ditches and barbed wire – photos

The Khartiia unit – Ukraine's 2nd Corps of the National Guard – and other Ukrainian units are building a deeply layered defensive line on the Kharkiv front on the orders of the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

Source: 2nd Corps of the National Guard of Ukraine

Details: The Ukrainian military is constructing extensive trench and dugout systems, anti-tank ditches, engineering obstacles, bunkers and other fortifications.

Quote: "The defensive line in question consists of an outer ring, three anti-tank ditches with a total length of 135,000 m, a ring of tetrahedrons, 135,000 m of barbed wire and 90,000 m of low-visibility obstacles. The next stage of construction is the inner ring."

For reference: Khartiia was established at the beginning of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022 as a volunteer unit within Ukraine's Territorial Defence Forces. In 2023, it was reorganised into the 13th Operational Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine. In April 2025, the 2nd Corps Khartiia was created on the brigade's basis under the command of Colonel Ihor Obolienskyi.

Background: Fighters from the R.U.G. unit – the 23rd Assault Regiment of the 2nd National Guard Corps – reported carrying out an assault operation on the Vovchansk front in April-May during which they breached Russian lines.

Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon!