Ukraine: In retaliation for a quick weekend attack by Ukraine's military that forced Russia to abandon its main stronghold in the Kharkiv region, Russia was accused by Ukraine of attacking civilian infrastructure.
According to Ukrainian officials, the retaliatory strikes resulted in widespread blackouts, targeted water facilities and a thermal power station in Kharkiv.
In a statement posted on social media, Zelensky described the situation as "a complete blackout in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, a partial one in the Zaporizhzhya, Dnipropetrovsk and Sumy regions". No military establishment, he clarified. Its purpose is to deny people access to heat and light.
"Russian terrorists," he alleged. Moscow disputes that its troops intentionally target civilians.
Zelensky called Ukraine's offensive in the northeast a possible turning point in the six-month-old conflict and said that winter could see greater territorial gains if Kyiv gets more powerful weapons.
As they fled the city of Izyum, which they had used as a logistics center, thousands of Russian soldiers left behind ammunition and other supplies, leaving Moscow's army its worst defeat since In March, he was kicked out of the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. ,
Zelensky thanked the Ukrainian forces, who "liberated hundreds of our cities and villages ... and most recently Balaklia, Izyum and Kupiyansk," three important centers recently named by the Kyiv military, the nation's The name was marked 200 days after its introduction. an address. from the Russian invasion.
Ukraine's top commander, General Valery Zaluzny, claimed that since earlier this month, the armed forces had gained control of more than 3,000 square kilometers (1,158 sq mi).
Ukraine's General Staff said on Monday that defense forces had driven Russian forces out of more than 20 settlements the previous day.
In the village of Kozacha Lopan, north of Kharkiv, close to the Russian border, locals greeted Ukrainian soldiers and government representatives with handshakes and hugs.
The mayor of the district, Vyacheslav Zadorenko, announced in a video shared on Facebook on Sunday that "Kozacha (Lopan) is and will be Ukraine." "Somehow 'Russian world. Check for yourself the places of the "Russian world" rags. Glory to the Ukrainian Armed Forces and Ukraine as a whole.
On Saturday, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the withdrawal of troops from the region, but described them as part of a strategy to "achieve the stated goals of liberating the Donbass".
In a routine televised briefing on Sunday, the ministry made no mention of a retreat, but displayed a map showing where Moscow's military had recently abandoned most of the territory it had occupied in the Kharkiv region.
The Kremlin sees no threat. On Saturday, Russian President Vladimir Putin followed up with his scheduled activities, which included the grand opening of a new boxing gym and a giant Ferris wheel in Moscow Park.
For the anniversary of the city's founding on Saturday night, authorities in Moscow set off a massive fireworks display.
In his talks on Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron urged Russia to withdraw its weapons from the area around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant, which is located about 350 kilometers southwest of Kharkiv.
The two spoke after safely shutting down the last operational unit at the Russian-occupied facility on Friday, reducing the level of "uncertain" threat cited by the United Nations nuclear agency.
Mick Ryan, a retired Australian Army general who tweets about military strategy under the handle @WarintheFuture, advised that "we should watch out for some unexpected reaction from Putin.
"He has shown no signs that he thinks an invasion is in danger, unlike some of his senior military officers.
Some pro-war commentators and Russian nationalists expressed significant outrage on social media in response to an almost complete silence over the defeat of Moscow or any explanation for what had happened in northeastern Ukraine.
Even ardent supporters of the Kremlin raised eyebrows when Russia suggested a plan for its retreat was made.
Chechnya strongman Ramzan Kadyrov, who has sent thousands of his troops to the front, criticized the Russian government for failing to prepare the public for a sudden apparent reversal. In a Telegram post late Saturday, he said, "Mistakes were made.
I will be compelled to get in touch with the defence ministry's leadership and the leadership of the nation and explain the actual situation on the ground if changes to the special military operation's strategy are not made today or tomorrow, Kadyrov warned.
The momentum allowed the Ukrainian foreign minister to request more advanced weaponry from Western allies.
Since the spring, we have been discussing weapons nonstop. "Ukraine's victories on the battlefield are ones we share, and I'm grateful to allies who have heeded our call," said Dmytro Kuleba. He wrote on social media, "Prompt supplies bring victory and peace closer."
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