September 11, 2022
image source,Getty Images
Russian troops have withdrawn from major eastern Ukrainian towns as Ukraine’s rapid counterattack makes further progress.
Russian troops have withdrawn from major eastern Ukrainian towns as Ukraine’s rapid counterattack makes further progress.
Ukrainian officials said troops on Saturday (September 10) entered Kupiansk, a key supply center for Russian troops in the east.
The Russian Defense Ministry later said that troops had withdrawn from nearby Izyum for “redeployment”.
The Russian Defense Ministry also confirmed the withdrawal of troops from a third key town, Balaklyia, to intensify fighting on the Donetsk front.
Ukrainian gains, if maintained, would be the most important victory since Russia withdrew from areas near Kyiv in April.
In a video address Saturday night, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine had liberated 2,000 square kilometers of territory from Russian forces since the start of a new counteroffensive earlier this month.
His words show that in the past 48 hours alone, half of the region has been recaptured, twice the size of the territory Zelensky said had been liberated in a speech late Thursday.
Russia’s recognition of the withdrawal of troops from Izyum is significant because it is the main military center of the Russian army.
“We conducted a three-day operation to reduce the forces of Izum-Baraklya and to transfer them in an organized manner to the territory of the Donetsk People’s Republic,” Russia said in a statement.
“In order to prevent the Russian troops from being harmed, we carried out heavy fire on the enemy.”
Shortly after, the administrator of the Russian-controlled region of Kharkiv advised residents to evacuate to Russia to “save lives,” Russia’s official TASS news agency reported.
The governor of neighbouring Russia’s Belgorod said people queuing across the border could get mobile catering, heating and medical assistance.
image source,Getty Images
Ukraine has liberated 2,000 square kilometers of territory from Russian forces since the start of a new counteroffensive earlier this month.
These developments will be seen as a signal that Ukrainian forces are capable of retaking Russian-occupied territory. This is important as Kyiv continues to seek military support from its beleaguered Western allies.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the latest developments showed that Ukrainian forces could defeat Russian forces and use more Western weapons to end the war faster.
Earlier, British Ministry of Defense officials said Ukraine had advanced 50 kilometers into territory previously occupied by Russia.
“The Russian army may be surprised,” the British Ministry of Defence said. “The area is only lightly controlled, and Ukrainian forces have captured or surrounded several towns. “
Earlier this week, Ukraine launched a counteroffensive in the east of the country, while international attention was focused on the expected offensive near the southern city of Kherson.
Analysts believe Russia has redeployed some of its most experienced troops to defend the city.
But in addition to progress in the east, Ukraine has also made progress in the south, an official said.
Nataliya Gumenyuk, a spokeswoman for the Ukrainian army’s southern command, said they had advanced “two to tens of kilometers” along this front.
But Russian forces fighting on the southern front are said to have penetrated deep defensive positions, and Ukrainian forces have faced stiff resistance since the offensive began.
In Kharkiv on Saturday, Russian rockets struck the city, killing one person and destroying several houses, local officials said.
Ukrainian officials shared a photo on social media that appeared to show Ukrainian troops holding a Ukrainian flag with a Russian flag at their feet in front of the Kupyansk city hall.
image source,EPA
A Ukrainian soldier stands next to a Russian vehicle in Kharkiv on Friday
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that his forces were “gradually taking control of the new settlements” and “returning the Ukrainian flag to protect all our people”.
He also said national police forces were returning to liberated settlements and urged civilians to report Russia’s alleged war crimes to them.
Earlier, a United Nations monitoring team in Ukraine reported that they had documented a series of abuses against prisoners of war by Russian troops.
The report also accused the Ukrainian army of “cases of torture and ill-treatment of prisoners of war”.
Inspiration from Kyiv and allies
BBC correspondentOrla Guerin from Central Ukraine
The speed of the counterattack not only caught Russia off guard, but even some Ukrainians were surprised. People here are always trying to stay up to date with the latest developments.
The Russians have now lost two key logistics centers: the railway cities of Izyum and Kupyansk. It was a military setback and a public humiliation of President Vladimir Putin.
We can’t get to the front. Journalists were denied entry. Ukraine is determined to control information warfare. But a flood of footage on social media showed Ukrainian troops raising the flag in the newly liberated areas.
All of this is an emotional catharsis for Ukraine and a relief for its Western supporters.
The Russians still control about a fifth of Ukraine, and few think the war will end any time soon. But the Ukrainians have now proven that they can beat the Russians in battle, not just temporarily. A military expert said it was the first time since World War II that the entire Russian army was completely destroyed.