Ukrainian troops on Tuesday applied constant pressure to Russian forces withdrawing to maintain the rapid momentum that had led to significant territory advances.
Ukrainian soldiers examined burnt Russian tanks left in largely devastated villages near Kharkiv as fresh yellow-and-blue flags flew from the tallest buildings, AP News reported.
In his nightly message, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: "From the beginning of September until today, our soldiers have already liberated more than 6,000 square kilometers of the territory of Ukraine - in the east and south. The movement of our troops continues."
British intelligence added insult to injury by claiming that the 1st Guards Tank Army, one of Moscow's top troops, had been "severely degraded" during the invasion. It added that Russia's conventional army built to oppose NATO got "severely weakened," and rebuilding this capability in Russia will probably take years.
However, Russian attacks on Ukrainian positions continued despite the withdrawal. According to Oleh Syniehubov, the regional governor, Moscow bombarded the Kharkiv region's Lozova city early on Tuesday, killing three and wounding nine.
The Nikopol area was bombarded six times throughout the night, but no casualties were recorded, said regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko. The largest nuclear facility in Europe was at risk due to ongoing shelling.
Russian Troops Waving the White Flag
Meanwhile, Russian forces near Kherson were reportedly negotiating surrender, as per a Yahoo! News story.
According to Natalia Humeniuk, the head of the joint coordination press center of the Defence Forces of South Ukraine, Russian troops there "are attempting to negotiate conditions of laying down arms, under the norms of international humanitarian law."
She claims that the Russian unit leaders attempt to leave their posts by any means necessary. This can entail feeling to the Russian back lines or putting down their guns.
Humeniuk also noted that Russian commanders now recognize they have nowhere to go because of the grave damage and demoralization they sustained.
She added hostile soldiers know about Ukraine's Kharkiv Oblast win.
Since they can't easily cross the Dnipro River, Russian forces on the western side of the river were forced to look for ways to get out of the area, a spokesperson said.
However, the situation is presented bravely by Russian official media. The events that took place in the Kharkiv region are not being referred to as a "retreat" in this context.
Rossiyskaya Gazeta said that the Russian defense ministry denied rumors that soldiers abandoned Balakliya, Kupiansk, and Izyum in embarrassment.
According to BBC, the Russian newspaper reported: "They didn't flee. This was a pre-planned regrouping."
After a Ukrainian push forced Russian soldiers into an unorganized retreat in the north, US President Joe Biden and top military officials are taking caution not to celebrate an early success.
Military leaders plan to give Ukraine more weaponry and boost training as they anticipate Russia's response to the abrupt, devastating combat setbacks.
US: No Need To Celebrate Yet
Although the victories made by Ukraine over the weekend were widely celebrated, US officials are aware that Russian President Vladimir Putin still has soldiers and resources at his disposal, and his forces continue to hold vast portions of the east and south, AP News reported.
Retired US Air Force general Philip Breedlove believes that "Russia still has cards it can play" so celebrating victory is still too early.
"Ukraine is now clearly making durable changes in its east and north and I believe that if the West properly equips Ukraine, they'll be able to hold on to their gains," Breedlove remarked.
US Lawmakers pointed to the precision-guided High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and the High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM), which is designed to target and destroy radar-equipped air defense systems, as key to the dramatic change in momentum.
