The Ukrainian Defense Ministry announced the restoration of control over the entire Kyiv region after the withdrawal of Russian forces from major cities near the capital.
Intervals Assistant Minister of Defense of Ukraine Ghana Maliar on Facebook “Irbin, Bucha, Gostomel and the whole Kyiv region have been liberated from invaders.”
All of these cities have witnessed fierce battles since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
The Ukrainians announced on Monday evening that they had regained control of Irbin, which had fallen to the Russians since the end of February.
On Saturday, AFP correspondents were able to go to Bucha, which was finally “liberated” and which journalists have been unable to reach for nearly a month.
The Ukrainian government said Saturday that Russian forces were carrying out a “rapid withdrawal” from the Kyiv and Chernihiv regions in northern Ukraine, with the aim of redeploying to the east and south.