By ELENA BECATOROS and HANNA ARHIROVA
KHARKIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian troops piled stress on retreating Russian forces on Tuesday, urgent a counteroffensive that has produced main good points and a surprising blow to Moscow’s army status.
It was not but clear if the Ukrainian blitz within the northeast after months of little discernible motion might sign a turning level within the practically seven-month conflict. But the nation’s officers have been buoyant, releasing footage exhibiting their forces burning Russian flags and inspecting deserted charred tanks. In one video, border guards tore down a poster that learn, “We are one people with Russia.”
Momentum has switched backwards and forwards earlier than, and Ukraine’s American allies, for one, have been cautious to not declare a untimely victory since Russian President Vladimir Putin nonetheless has troops and assets to faucet.
Still, the Kremlin struggled to reply to the defeat, its largest since its forces deserted a botched try and seize Kyiv early within the conflict.
Late Monday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy mentioned his troops have retaken greater than 6,000 sq. kilometers (2,300 sq. miles) — an space greater than twice the scale of Luxembourg — in a matter of weeks.
”The motion of our troops continues,” he mentioned.
Among the newest claims, Ukraine’s border guard companies mentioned the military took management of Vovchansk — a city simply 3 kilometers (2 miles) from Russia seized on the primary day of the conflict.
While each particular person declare of army success couldn’t be verified, Russia acknowledged that it has withdrawn troops from areas within the northeastern area of Kharkiv in latest days.
Reports of chaos abounded as Russian troops pulled out — in addition to claims that they have been surrendering en masse. Ukraine officers have mentioned they’ve captured so many troopers that they’re struggling to deal with them. The declare couldn’t be instantly verified.
Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Defense Hanna Maliar mentioned Kyiv is attempting to steer much more Russian troopers to surrender, launching shells stuffed with flyers forward of their advance.
“Russians use you as cannon fodder. Your life doesn’t mean anything for them. You don’t need this war. Surrender to Armed Forces of Ukraine,” the flyers learn.
In one indication of the blow sustained by Moscow, British intelligence mentioned that one premier drive, the first Guards Tank Army, had been “severely degraded” through the invasion and that “Russia’s conventional force designed to counter NATO is severely weakened. It will likely take years for Russia to rebuild this capability.”
The retreat didn’t cease Russia from pounding Ukrainian positions, nevertheless. Early Tuesday, it shelled the town of Lozova within the Kharkiv area, killing three folks and injuring 9, mentioned regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.
And Ukrainian officers mentioned Russia stored up shelling round Europe’s largest nuclear facility, the place preventing has raised fears of a nuclear catastrophe. The Nikopol space, which is throughout the Dnieper River from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant, was shelled six instances through the night time however no accidents have been instantly reported, mentioned regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko.
Strikes have additionally continued unabated on the town of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest and one which has been hammered by artillery for months.
Zelenskyy particularly criticized Russia for focusing on vitality infrastructure in its assaults over the previous days. “Hundreds and thousands of Ukrainians found themselves in the dark — without electricity. Houses, hospitals, schools, communal infrastructure … sites that have absolutely nothing to do with the infrastructure of the armed forces of our country.”
He mentioned it might solely level to 1 factor. “This is a sign of the desperation of those who contrived this war. This is how they react to the defeat of Russian forces in the Kharkiv region. They can’t do anything to our heroes on the battlefield.”
The counteroffensive has provoked uncommon public criticism of Putin’s conflict. Meanwhile, a few of its defenders in Russia performed down the concept that the success belonged to Ukraine, blaming as a substitute Western weapons and fighters for the losses.
“It’s not Ukraine that attacked Izium, but NATO,” learn a headline within the state-supported Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper, referring to one of many areas the place Russia mentioned it has withdrawn troops.
Elsewhere, residents of a Russian village simply throughout the border from Ukraine have been evacuated after shelling by Ukrainian troops killed one particular person, in response to Russia’s Tass information company.
The report cited the pinnacle of the native administration in Logachevka, who mentioned Ukrainian troops opened hearth at a border checkpoint.
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Arhirova reported from Kyiv.
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Follow AP conflict protection at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Source: www.bostonherald.com”