While Ukrainian forces found it relatively easy to curb the early and overenthusiastic Russian attempts to drive into the city, where they expected to be welcomed as liberators, it took them months to drive the enemy beyond artillery range of the second biggest city in Ukraine. Indeed, this aim was only achieved during the famous Slobozhan Offensive in south-eastern Kharkiv province, in September-October 2022, when the Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated huge swaths of their homeland. Volume 12 of the War in Ukraine sub-series is the first published history examining this battle in detail, from the dramatic attempt by Russian special forces to drive into the city in the first days of the war, to the near-encirclement and mauling of the biggest concentration of Russian mechanised forces in this conflict, in September-October 2022. Drawing upon a synthesis of newly available Ukrainian and Russian accounts and open-source intelligence gathering, Volume 12 builds upon the work conducted in earlier volumes of this sub-series to provide a richer and more comprehensive picture of the Russian axes of advance on Kharkiv and their eventual near-collapse. Extensively illustrated with full colour photography, maps, and original artworks of the soldiers, vehicles, and aircraft involved, the book is an indispensable source of reference for professional and enthusiasts alike.