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Zelensky thanked the many Ukrainian battalions participating in the counterattack, describing their fighters as true heroes
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukrainian forces have retaken more territory from Russia and are continuing their counterattack.
He said that Ukrainian forces have now recaptured more than 6,000 square kilometers of Russian-controlled territory in September, in the east and south.
The BBC cannot verify what the Ukrainian president said.
Russia has admitted losing major cities in the northeastern Kharkiv region, in what some military experts see as a sudden change in the war.
Moscow describes the withdrawal of its forces from the region in recent days as a “regroupment” aimed at focusing on the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in eastern Ukraine.
But the claim was met with derision even in Russia, with many social media users calling the announced withdrawal “shameful”.
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Ukrainian forces had made “significant progress” in their counter-offensive, but noted that it was too early to predict the outcome.
photo released, EPA
Russia says it is regrouping its forces.
“The Russians maintain very large forces in Ukraine, as well as equipment, weapons and ammunition. And they continue to use them indiscriminately, not only once morest the Ukrainian armed forces but also once morest civilians and civilian infrastructure, as we have seen,” Blinken said in remarks Monday evening.
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, which he called a special military operation, on February 24, and Russia still controls regarding 20 percent of Ukrainian territory.
In his final video speech on Monday, Zelensky said: “From the beginning of September until today, our fighters have already liberated more than 6,000 square kilometers of Ukraine’s territory – in the east and south.”
He added: “The movements of our forces continue.”
The counterattack appears to have been swift. Last Thursday, Zelensky said Ukrainian forces had recaptured 1,000 square kilometres, but by Sunday the reported figure had tripled to 3,000 square kilometres.
Zelensky thanked the many Ukrainian battalions participating in the counterattack, describing their fighters as true heroes.
But he did not reveal which Ukrainian towns and villages had been liberated.
photo released, Archyde.com
Ukrainian forces raise flags in a village retaken from Russia in the northeastern Kharkiv region
Earlier, the Russian army admitted that its forces had to withdraw from the main cities of Balaklya, Izyum and Kobyansk in the Kharkiv region. Russia now controls only a small eastern part of the region.
Significant – albeit slower – progress has also been reported by Ukrainian forces in the southern Kherson region, bordering Crimea – the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014.
British defense officials say the Ukrainian military’s recent successes will have “important implications” for Russia’s overall operational plans.
However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that military operations in Ukraine would continue “until all tasks that were initially set are implemented.”
Russia says its forces are carrying out strikes in those areas retaken by Ukraine in recent days.
Izyum mayor Valery Marchenko told the BBC that the Ukrainian army was in his city and raised the state flag.
The Ukrainian army is now working to clear the war-ravaged city, and Ukrainian forces are looking for Russian soldiers who may be hiding in the homes of citizens.
Marchenko said that following “regarding 10 days”, residents who had to flee the city would be able to return “safely”.
Russia has been accused of targeting civilian infrastructure in retaliation for its setbacks on the battlefield.
A wave of missile strikes on Sunday caused a major blackout in northeastern Ukraine, cutting off electricity and water for tens of thousands of people for several hours.
