In an official statement, Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff said it has succeeded in driving away Russian troops and regaining control of more than 20 settlements, including towns and villages in the Kharkiv region in the past one day.
In the past 5 days, territory as big as twice the size of Greater London( approximately 1100 miles) has been recaptured by Ukrainian forces. Over the weekend, Ukraine claimed to recapture successes in the South and East against Russia, in the cities of Izyum, Balakiya, and Kupiansk.
The Kharkiv region had been under Moscow’s control since February. It served as a launchpad for its operations in eastern Ukraine. Recapturing of the city of Izyum by Ukrainian forces has been Russia’s most significant loss in Kharkiv, as it was a key hub for logistics and supply for Russian forces in the east.
The Governor of Kharkiv, Oleh Syniehubov, highlighted that some Ukrainian troops have managed to reach as far as the Russian border in a few areas of the front.
Large scale blackouts have occurred in Kharkiv, for which Ukrainian officials have accused Russian troops of retaliation by targeting the Power infrastructure with rocket and missile attacks. There were complete and partial blackouts in other areas like Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia.
Power was restored in most areas quickly, and 80 percent of water and electricity supplies in the Kharkiv region were restored on Monday morning. see, How Russia attacks Ukrainian coasts, cuts gas supply to Europe?
