On the eve of the war in Ukraine reaching its 200th day, there are those who speak of a possible turning point in the conflict. Ukrainian troops are making rapid and surgical advances, especially in the Kharkiv area, and on Saturday they recaptured two strategically important cities: Kupiansk and Izyum.
“We will liberate our land to the last centimeter!” reads the caption of some photos uploaded to social networks by Ukrainian fighters to celebrate the reconquest of Kupiansk, a city of great strategic importance.
“Kupiansk was and always will be Ukraine,” he says, adding: “Let’s move on. Glory to Ukraine!”
Examples! ?????????
My звільнимо нашу землю до останнього сантиметра! Йдемо далі!
Слава Україні! pic.twitter.com/eq4ZDYFe9y
— СБ України (@ServiceSsu) September 10, 2022
Several videos have appeared on the Internet showing Ukrainian soldiers entering the city of Kupiansk without any resistance from Russian soldiers, who previously controlled the city.
Some troops are managing to advance “tens of kilometers” in the south of the country, kyiv said, after the reconquest of the important city of Kupiansk (Kharkiv area), on the Ukrainian side, was officially confirmed.
Russia, for its part, confirmed the withdrawal from Izyum but spoke only of “regrouping” its forces. The Kremlin confirmed that the troops had withdrawn from Izyum, but the justification is that the army is “regrouping” its forces that are in the Izyum and Balakliya regions (another city where images of soldiers with Ukrainian flags are also emerging).
According to a statement issued through the state agency RIA Novosti, the Defense Ministry says it remains determined to “accelerate efforts in Donetsk” to “achieve the objectives of the special military operation” and “liberate” Donbass.
The statement also reads that several “staging” and “distraction moves” were carried out in recent days, which were aimed at disguising the withdrawal of Russian troops, according to Russia.
A few hours later, in the usual video speech, the Ukrainian president stated that “since the beginning of September, some 2,000 kilometers of Ukraine” had already been “liberated” and he hoped for the “total” liberation of Donetsk.
In a statement, Zelensky congratulated “the two beautiful and strong cities of the day,” referring to Lyman and Dnipro, which the Russians have already acknowledged have returned to Ukrainian hands, alleging a “regrouping” of the Russian armed forces.
“Lyman, in the Donetsk region, is still waiting for our flag, but it is inevitable, Ukraine always comes back,” says Zelensky, who guarantees that “all Donetsk will be free, safe and happy again.”
Still in Donetsk, reports emerged that Russian-speaking leader Denis Pushilin had already left the region. The information was provided by channel 24, a Ukrainian television channel, which cited intelligence sources in the country.
There were several reports on social networks that Pushilin’s whereabouts are unknown, after he did not travel to Mariupol as planned.
The UK MoD, in its regular status report on the war in Ukraine, believes that Russian forces are “likely to be caught off guard” by the Ukrainian military’s advances in recent weeks.
Since the Ukrainian “counter-offensive” began in the south of the country, in the Kharkiv region, Ukrainian forces have advanced some 50 kilometers, with a narrow front, into territories controlled by the Russians.
“Russian forces are probably being taken by surprise,” says the British Ministry of Defense, adding that “Ukrainian units now threaten the city of Kupiansk, and their capture would be a major blow to Russia because that city is located on the lines Of transport. to the Donbass war front.
Ukrainian forces are making “very surgical and rapid” advances, a source on the Russian side was quoted by Reuters as saying, admitting this could be the beginning of a turning point in the Ukraine war.
The Ukrainian armed forces increased by 350 the number of Russian soldiers who, according to their daily estimates, were neutralized.
According to information released by kyiv, the total number of Russian soldiers killed by Ukraine amounts to 52,250, compared to 51,900 that had been reported on Friday the day before.
Also on Saturday, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in kyiv for a surprise visit aimed at “showing” that Ukraine “can count” on Berlin’s support, the German government announced.
However, Vladimir Putin was one of the first world leaders to offer “heartfelt congratulations” to King Charles III.
Source: Observadora
