Ukraine has recaptured two more settlements in Kherson oblast, just days after Russia claimed the territory following a so-called referendum, Volodymyr Zelensky has announced.
He added that the success of Ukrainian soldiers “are not limited to Lyman” – the logistics centre in the country’s east which was also recaptured this week, marking a significant victory for Kyiv.
“This week, the largest part of the [battlefield] reports is the list of settlements liberated from the enemy as part of our defence operation,” Mr Zelensky said.
A Russian-installed official in the Kherson region, Kirill Stremousov, admitted in a video statement today that the Ukrainian forces “have broken through a little deeper.”
However, he insisted that “everything is under control” and that Russia’s “defense system is working” in the region.
The US and Nato welcomed Ukraine’s territorial win against Russia in the seven-month old war.
The US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said the taking of the former Russian stronghold makes the war “more difficult” for Vladimir Putin.