Ukrainian forces 'capture' strategic town of Izyum as forces take Russia by surprise
Russia is said to have lost ground in its invasion of Ukraine as the defenders embark on a rapidly advancing counteroffensive. The key strategic city of Izium appears to have been liberated
Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Kyiv has confirmed that its troops have entered the key strategic town of Izyum and started clearing it, amid reports of a rapid advance.
Videos of troops entering the city circle on Telegram and the Russian Defense Ministry described the retreat as a "regrouping".
They said: "In order to achieve the objectives of the special military operation...it was decided to consolidate the Russian troops stationed in Balakliya and Izyum to intensify the efforts in the direction of Donetsk."
“A three-day operation was carried out to reduce and redeploy troops from Izyum-Balakliya to the DPR…a number of distractions were carried out with the designation of the actual actions of the troops.”
As reports surfaced on Saturday morning, Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko said the town was liberated in half a day and the town of Lyman was also liberated.
He said: "The Ukrainian forces entered Izum, the strategic city of the Kharkiv region. Incredible. In the spring, the Russians took a month to take it."
Picture:
Getty Images/iStockphoto)Several sources claim that Izyum was released, and military analyst Rob Lee noted that two Russian Telegram channels have "confirmed" that this was the case.
Other sources claim that the city has been penetrated by Ukrainian troops and will soon be fully liberated.
The city of Kupyansk was also seized, as confirmed by an adviser to the head of the regional council Nataliya Popova.
Other reports suggest that Lyman is also under attack or has been captured by Ukrainian forces.
The Economist's foreign correspondent said there were "conflicting reports", but that "part of the picture of this counter-offensive is i...
Russia is said to have lost ground in its invasion of Ukraine as the defenders embark on a rapidly advancing counteroffensive. The key strategic city of Izium appears to have been liberated
Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Kyiv has confirmed that its troops have entered the key strategic town of Izyum and started clearing it, amid reports of a rapid advance.
Videos of troops entering the city circle on Telegram and the Russian Defense Ministry described the retreat as a "regrouping".
They said: "In order to achieve the objectives of the special military operation...it was decided to consolidate the Russian troops stationed in Balakliya and Izyum to intensify the efforts in the direction of Donetsk."
“A three-day operation was carried out to reduce and redeploy troops from Izyum-Balakliya to the DPR…a number of distractions were carried out with the designation of the actual actions of the troops.”
As reports surfaced on Saturday morning, Ukrainian MP Oleksiy Goncharenko said the town was liberated in half a day and the town of Lyman was also liberated.
He said: "The Ukrainian forces entered Izum, the strategic city of the Kharkiv region. Incredible. In the spring, the Russians took a month to take it."
Picture:
Getty Images/iStockphoto)Several sources claim that Izyum was released, and military analyst Rob Lee noted that two Russian Telegram channels have "confirmed" that this was the case.
Other sources claim that the city has been penetrated by Ukrainian troops and will soon be fully liberated.
The city of Kupyansk was also seized, as confirmed by an adviser to the head of the regional council Nataliya Popova.
Other reports suggest that Lyman is also under attack or has been captured by Ukrainian forces.
The Economist's foreign correspondent said there were "conflicting reports", but that "part of the picture of this counter-offensive is i...
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