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Russia Admits Retreat As Ukraine Makes First Major Gains In Months (msn.com)

Ukraine retakes Russian-controlled cities and supply hubs in a swift eastern push

Nicholas Slayton – Yesterday 11:00 AM

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Russia is pulling its forces back from several towns in Ukraine’s east as Ukraine’s counteroffensive made major gains in the Kharkiv region. Ukrainian troops retook multiple towns and captured the cities of Izyum and Balakliya, according to local reports and the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense. In a rare admission of things going poorly for its forces, the Russian Ministry of Defense confirmed soldiers had left those areas and announced it will “regroup” its forces today.

This photograph taken in Balakliya, Kharkiv region, on September 10, 2022 shows a destroyed military tank. – Ukrainian forces said September 10, 2022 they had entered the town of Kupiansk in eastern Ukraine, dislodging Russian troops from a key logistics hub in a lightning counter-offensive that has seen swathes of territory recaptured. (Photo by JUAN BARRETO/AFP via Getty Images)© Provided by Task & Purpose

“In order to achieve the declared goals of the special military operation for the liberation of Donbass, it was decided to regroup the Russian forces stationed near Balakl[i]ya and Izyum to boost efforts in the Donetsk direction,” spokesman Igor Konashenkov said.

That regrouping is happening as Ukrainian troops quickly move into territory the Russians are leaving, retaking as much as 70 kilometers of ground. The biggest gain was recapturing Izyum, a city of approximately 55,000 that’s been a supply hub for the Russian army due to serving as a rail hub for Ukraine’s eastern regions. The city’s mayor confirmed to the New York Times that Russian soldiers had left. This afternoon, Ukraine reestablished full control over Balakliya as well.