Kyiv: ‘Ukraine Forces Recapture Key Area From Russia’
By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
KYIV/MOSCOW (Worthy News) – Moscow began withdrawing troops in some areas of eastern Ukraine Sunday while Ukrainian forces entered the key town of Kupiansk as their rapid Ukrainian counter-attack made further gains, officials said.
Kyiv also claims progress in other parts of Ukraine as the Russian invasion of the country appears to go slower than Moscow anticipated.
Video footage purportedly showed Ukrainian soldiers entering Kupiansk early Sunday morning local time. Sitting on a military vehicle, they appeared to celebrate as Kupiansk is a vital supply hub for Russian forces in eastern Ukraine.
U.S.-based think tank Institute for the Study of War described the city as Russia’s “key logistical node” in the region. It says its recapture would “severely degrade” Russian ground lines of communication.
Another security map shows that Kupiansk is where major rail lines in north-east Ukraine converge, meaning its loss could significantly hinder Russian supply lines.
Kupiansk initially fell a week after February’s invasion, though residents were never happy with Russian troops invading their town. Earlier this year, a crowd, some carrying Ukrainian flags, could be seen attacking and trying to stop a Jeep with a painted Russian military Z sign, according to footage seen by Worthy News.
It was recorded by a teacher named Liana and posted on social media.
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Ukraine also appears to have retaken the critical city of Izyum. Kupiansk and Izyum lie southeast of Kharkiv city in the eastern Kharkiv region. It is here where Ukrainian forces have launched a significant counteroffensive in recent days.
Authorities say communities in recaptured areas are coming “back to life.” But they acknowledged that many have seen their homes and infrastructure “destroyed.”
In recent days Ukrainian government forces reportedly retook some 700 square kilometers (270 square miles) of territory, and more than 30 settlements were recaptured in the Kharkiv region alone.
Ukraine’s military said the “de-mining of the area” is underway. They claim that police have recorded “numerous crimes” by Russian forces and that Ukrainian authorities try to support populations suffering amid massive destruction.
Russia’s Defense Ministry has admitted that it is pulling back forces from the areas in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, but it warns they will regroup them in the Donetsk area. Moscow claims the move is to achieve the stated goals of what it calls the special “military operation to liberate Donbas,'” one of the eastern Ukraine regions that Russia declared sovereign.
Critics say that claim of pullback to concentrate on Donetsk is similar to the justification Russia gave for withdrawing from the capital Kyiv region earlier this year and shows at least some weakness within the Russian army.
Yet Ukraine still faces major battles ahead of winter when temperatures often drop dramatically. Kyiv says Ukraine and the United States are currently negotiating a $1.5 billion package of financial aid to help Ukraine buy natural gas to help residents keep warm in the war-torn nation.
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