On Wednesday, while visiting cities that had been retaken, President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged to lead Ukraine to victory in its conflict with Russia. At the same time, pro-Russian sources asserted that Kyiv's forces had temporarily come to a standstill.
This month, Ukrainian forces staged a quick armored push into the Kharkiv region in the northeast, forcing a hasty and disorganized Russian withdrawal, which resulted in a surprising setback for Russian forces.
Zelensky Warns To Liberate Ukrainian Land
Zelensky paid a surprise visit to Izium on Wednesday, which up until four days ago served as both Russia's major stronghold and regional logistics hub. While there, he observed the raising of the Ukrainian flag in front of the burned-out municipal council building.
"Our blue-yellow flag is now flying in de-occupied Izium. And it will be so in every Ukrainian city and town," Zelensky said in a social media post, as per Reuters. No structure on the main avenue was spared damage: a vacant bath house had a hole blown through its side; butcher shops, pharmacies, a shoe store, and a beauty parlor all been pelted with shrapnel.
Zelensky threatened to liberate every inch of Ukrainian land still held by Russian soldiers, saying that "truth is on our side" despite not knowing when this would happen. According to Ukrainian military intelligence, the Russian military is also stationing so-called barrier forces in Ukraine to stop its own battalions from escaping.
According to intercepted conversations, Russian troops are starting to "panic" and "refuse to fight," according to Ukrainian defense authorities. Officials in other parts of Ukraine claimed on Wednesday that Russian military had targeted civilian facilities in the southern city of Kryvyi Rih, BBC reported.
Russia Acknowledges Forces Leave Eastern Ukraine
According to Ukrainian authorities, cruise missiles launched at the city's "hydraulic structures" raised the water levels in a nearby river and put the region's water supplies in danger. US President Joe Biden claimed that Ukraine has achieved "significant" progress.
Although he warned that the offensive "may be a lengthy haul," he claimed it was "clear" that the advance had been successful. While Russia still maintains control of about 5% of Ukrainian territory, Kyiv's advancing forces are now concentrated in Donbas towns that fell early in the conflict.
Russia is concentrating on the Donbas, some of which were already under the hands of Russian-backed separatists before Russia launched its invasion this year, after failing to take control of cities throughout the Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv.
The capture of two towns, Izyum and Kupiansk, by Ukrainian forces, according to reports from other regions, might cut off supplies to the Russian-held cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk.
Per NY Post, the Kremlin has acknowledged that some of its forces have left eastern towns, but has refrained from using the term "retreat," saying that its forces are instead reorganizing. Moscow maintained on Monday that it would continue its invasion "until all the initial goals are achieved."
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