Ukrainian Counteroffensive Successes

"To achieve the goals of the special military operation to liberate Donbas, a decision was made to regroup Russian troops stationed in the Balakliya and Izyum regions, to bolster efforts along the Donetsk front."

Russia's Defense Ministry statement

 

"I have traveled to Kyiv to show that they can continue to rely on us. That we will continue to stand by Ukraine for as long as necessary with deliveries of weapons, and with humanitarian and financial support."

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock

This handout photograph taken Sept. 9, 2022, released Sept. 11, shows Ukrainian soldiers loading an abandoned Russian military vehicle on a trailer during the Ukrainian Army counter-offensive in Kharkiv region. (General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces / AFP)

"The Russian army in these days is demonstrating the best that it can do -- showing its back", quipped a jubilant Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as he mocked Russia's response to Ukraine's long anticipated counteroffensive, retaking huge swaths of Ukraine's northeast from Russian military occupation. Posting a video of Ukrainian soldiers hoisting the national flag over another town the counteroffensive reclaimed.

 

Sunday saw Ukrainian troops pressing their counteroffensive in the country's northeast, in the bleak shadow of the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant's state of potential meltdown. The plant in the south of the country was shut down completely in hopes of preventing a radiation disaster caused by fighting that raged not far from the plant complex.

 

Kyive's success in reclaiming Russia-occupied areas in the Kharkiv region has forced Moscow to withdraw its troops. Ostensibly to prevent them from being surrounded. In the process left behind was significant amounts of weapons and munitions as a result of the hasty retreat, falling neatly into the hands of the Ukrainian military who will make good use of it all.

 

Izyum, considered an important command and supply hub for Russia's northern front has been taken by the 95th brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. "Everything around is destroyed, but we will restore everything. Izyum was, is, and will be Ukraine", said Yuriy Kochevenko of the 95th brigade in a video he posted showing the empty central city square surrounded by destroyed buildings.

 

Meanwhile, Ukraine's nuclear energy operator announced the reconnection of the nuclear power plant to Ukraine's electricity grid, enabling engineers to shut down the last operational reactor in order to safeguard the plant amidst the surrounding battles.

 

Ukraine's military chief, General Valerii Zaluzhnyy, announced Ukraine's forces had recaptured about 3,000 square kilometres since the counteroffensive began. Ukrainian troops are only 50 kilometres from the border with Russia. Ukrainian troops have reclaimed control of over 40 settlements in the region, according to Kharkiv Governor Oleh Syniehubov.