Amid Ukraine’s startling gains, liberated villages describe Russian troops dropping rifles and fleeing
ZALIZNYCHNE, Ukraine — In the end, the Russians fled any way they could on Friday, on stolen bicycles, disguised as locals. Hours after Ukrainian soldiers poured into the area, hundreds of Russian soldiers encamped in this village were gone, many after their units abandoned them, leaving behind stunned residents to face the ruins of 28 weeks of occupation.
“They just dropped rifles on the ground,” Olena Matvienko said Sunday as she stood, still disoriented, in a village littered with ammo crates and torched vehicles, including a Russian tank loaded on a flatbed. The first investigators from Kharkiv had just pulled in to collect the bodies of civilians shot by Russians, some that have been lying exposed for months.
“I can’t believe that we went through something like this in the 21st century,” Matvienko said, tears welling.
Read the full story here.
ZALIZNYCHNE, Ukraine — In the end, the Russians fled any way they could on Friday, on stolen bicycles, disguised as locals. Hours after Ukrainian soldiers poured into the area, hundreds of Russian soldiers encamped in this village were gone, many after their units abandoned them, leaving behind stunned residents to face the ruins of 28 weeks of occupation.
“They just dropped rifles on the ground,” Olena Matvienko said Sunday as she stood, still disoriented, in a village littered with ammo crates and torched vehicles, including a Russian tank loaded on a flatbed. The first investigators from Kharkiv had just pulled in to collect the bodies of civilians shot by Russians, some that have been lying exposed for months.
“I can’t believe that we went through something like this in the 21st century,” Matvienko said, tears welling.
Read the full story here.
Ukraine extends battlefield gains as Kremlin reels from setback
KYIV, Ukraine — Blue-and-yellow flags were raised in more liberated towns and villages in northeast Ukraine on Monday, as the stunning counteroffensive that pushed Russia into a messy retreat boosted optimism at home and abroad over a potential turning point in the war, and renewed international calls to send Ukraine more weapons in hopes of hastening Russia’s defeat.
The lightning push by Ukrainian forces, in which they recaptured in a matter of days nearly all of the Kharkiv region occupied since the early days of the war last winter, left Moscow reeling. Despite the setback, the Kremlin and its proxies insisted that the war would go on until President Vladimir Putin’s goals are achieved, and they blamed NATO and the United States for Ukraine’s refusal to surrender.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — Blue-and-yellow flags were raised in more liberated towns and villages in northeast Ukraine on Monday, as the stunning counteroffensive that pushed Russia into a messy retreat boosted optimism at home and abroad over a potential turning point in the war, and renewed international calls to send Ukraine more weapons in hopes of hastening Russia’s defeat.
The lightning push by Ukrainian forces, in which they recaptured in a matter of days nearly all of the Kharkiv region occupied since the early days of the war last winter, left Moscow reeling. Despite the setback, the Kremlin and its proxies insisted that the war would go on until President Vladimir Putin’s goals are achieved, and they blamed NATO and the United States for Ukraine’s refusal to surrender.
Read the full story here.
Despite setbacks in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesman insists war will go on
RIGA, Latvia — After a weekend of steep battlefield setbacks for Russia, the Kremlin’s top spokesman said Monday that the war in Ukraine would continue until President Vladimir Putin’s aims are reached.
“The special military operation is underway and will continue until the goals that have been set are achieved,” the spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said in a conference call with reporters.
Peskov declined to comment on a threat issued by Russia’s former prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, who warned that Ukraine would face new, grave demands for a total surrender.
Some supporters of Putin have warned that Russia could use nuclear weapons, and Ukraine’s top general said last week that the possibility of such a strike remained very real.
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RIGA, Latvia — After a weekend of steep battlefield setbacks for Russia, the Kremlin’s top spokesman said Monday that the war in Ukraine would continue until President Vladimir Putin’s aims are reached.
“The special military operation is underway and will continue until the goals that have been set are achieved,” the spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said in a conference call with reporters.
Peskov declined to comment on a threat issued by Russia’s former prime minister, Dmitry Medvedev, who warned that Ukraine would face new, grave demands for a total surrender.
Some supporters of Putin have warned that Russia could use nuclear weapons, and Ukraine’s top general said last week that the possibility of such a strike remained very real.
Read the full story here.
Faced with war losses, Russian propagandists retreat to anger and patriotism
Russian state television pundits and officials for months painted Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine as a well-oiled “special military operation” that is methodically achieving its goals of “demilitarizing” and “denazifying” the Kyiv “regime.”
But the embarrassing rout of Russian forces from northeastern Ukraine in recent days sent a normally harmonious choir of Kremlin-friendly television shows and newspapers into a frenzy, struggling to explain to the audiences that they had been assuring of victory why Ukraine had recaptured more land than Russia took since April.
The result was the broadcast of unusually tense scenes to millions of Russian households, with some uncharacteristically blunt concessions.
Read the full story here.
Russian state television pundits and officials for months painted Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine as a well-oiled “special military operation” that is methodically achieving its goals of “demilitarizing” and “denazifying” the Kyiv “regime.”
But the embarrassing rout of Russian forces from northeastern Ukraine in recent days sent a normally harmonious choir of Kremlin-friendly television shows and newspapers into a frenzy, struggling to explain to the audiences that they had been assuring of victory why Ukraine had recaptured more land than Russia took since April.
The result was the broadcast of unusually tense scenes to millions of Russian households, with some uncharacteristically blunt concessions.
Read the full story here.
These maps show Ukraine’s latest victories against Russia
In less than a week, Ukraine’s military made startling gains against Russian forces in the Kharkiv region, potentially changing the tide of a war that has raged for more than half a year and changed the geopolitical fabric of Europe.
In a stunning counteroffensive, Ukrainian troops pushed east, seizing Balakliya on Thursday. Forces then continued toward Izyum and Kupyansk, areas which were under Russian control for months. By Sunday, Russian troops retreated, leaving more than 1,100 square miles back in the hands of Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Commander in Chief Valery Zaluzhny. Russia’s defense ministry said troops were “regrouping.” In the last five days, Ukraine has recaptured more territory than Russia has taken since April, according to the Institute for the Study of War, which closely tracks the conflict.
Read the full story here.
In less than a week, Ukraine’s military made startling gains against Russian forces in the Kharkiv region, potentially changing the tide of a war that has raged for more than half a year and changed the geopolitical fabric of Europe.
In a stunning counteroffensive, Ukrainian troops pushed east, seizing Balakliya on Thursday. Forces then continued toward Izyum and Kupyansk, areas which were under Russian control for months. By Sunday, Russian troops retreated, leaving more than 1,100 square miles back in the hands of Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Commander in Chief Valery Zaluzhny. Russia’s defense ministry said troops were “regrouping.” In the last five days, Ukraine has recaptured more territory than Russia has taken since April, according to the Institute for the Study of War, which closely tracks the conflict.
Read the full story here.
Putin, tone deaf and isolated, pursues war ‘goals’ and refuses to lose
Vladimir Putin’s definitive quality as president — his refusal ever to back down — helped him project Russian global power for years. But facing repeated setbacks in a catastrophic war in Ukraine, his inflexible approach is looking more like his great flaw.
As Russian forces fled in disarray in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region Saturday — dressing as civilians, stealing bicycles, abandoning tons of military equipment and ammunition — Putin sounded strikingly tone deaf as he opened a giant new Ferris wheel in Moscow. “There is nothing like that in Europe,” he boasted via video-link.
Within hours, the Ferris wheel had broken down, and tickets had to be refunded. Repairing what’s broken about Putin’s war strategy and, by extension, his presidency and reputation, will be far harder.
Read the full story here.
Vladimir Putin’s definitive quality as president — his refusal ever to back down — helped him project Russian global power for years. But facing repeated setbacks in a catastrophic war in Ukraine, his inflexible approach is looking more like his great flaw.
As Russian forces fled in disarray in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region Saturday — dressing as civilians, stealing bicycles, abandoning tons of military equipment and ammunition — Putin sounded strikingly tone deaf as he opened a giant new Ferris wheel in Moscow. “There is nothing like that in Europe,” he boasted via video-link.
Within hours, the Ferris wheel had broken down, and tickets had to be refunded. Repairing what’s broken about Putin’s war strategy and, by extension, his presidency and reputation, will be far harder.
Read the full story here.
‘The Russians are in trouble,’ U.S. official says of latest war analysis
A Ukrainian counteroffensive that has sent Russian forces into a hasty retreat could mark a turning point in the war and raise pressure on Moscow to call up additional forces if it hopes to prevent further Ukrainian advances, U.S. and Western officials said Monday.
Whether the gains are permanent depends on Russia’s next moves, especially whether President Vladimir Putin implements a military draft or orders reinforcements from elsewhere to offset heavy losses in Ukraine, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share recent intelligence analyses.
In mere days, Ukrainian military forces have retaken nearly all of the Kharkiv region that Russian forces occupied since the opening of the war. The rapidity of the pullback appears to have stunned Russian military troops and commanders, officials said.
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A Ukrainian counteroffensive that has sent Russian forces into a hasty retreat could mark a turning point in the war and raise pressure on Moscow to call up additional forces if it hopes to prevent further Ukrainian advances, U.S. and Western officials said Monday.
Whether the gains are permanent depends on Russia’s next moves, especially whether President Vladimir Putin implements a military draft or orders reinforcements from elsewhere to offset heavy losses in Ukraine, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share recent intelligence analyses.
In mere days, Ukrainian military forces have retaken nearly all of the Kharkiv region that Russian forces occupied since the opening of the war. The rapidity of the pullback appears to have stunned Russian military troops and commanders, officials said.
Read the full story here.
Russia spent millions in secret global political campaign, U.S. official says
Russia has secretly funneled at least $300 million to foreign political parties and candidates in more than two dozen countries since 2014 in an attempt to shape political events beyond its borders, according to a new U.S. intelligence review.
Moscow planned to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more as part of its covert campaign to weaken democratic systems and promote global political forces seen as aligned with Kremlin interests, according to the review, which the Biden administration commissioned this summer.
A senior U.S. official, who spoke to reporters Tuesday on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence findings, said the administration decided to declassify some of the review’s findings in an attempt to counter Russia’s ability to sway political systems in countries in Europe, Africa and elsewhere.
Read the full story here.
Russia has secretly funneled at least $300 million to foreign political parties and candidates in more than two dozen countries since 2014 in an attempt to shape political events beyond its borders, according to a new U.S. intelligence review.
Moscow planned to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more as part of its covert campaign to weaken democratic systems and promote global political forces seen as aligned with Kremlin interests, according to the review, which the Biden administration commissioned this summer.
A senior U.S. official, who spoke to reporters Tuesday on the condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence findings, said the administration decided to declassify some of the review’s findings in an attempt to counter Russia’s ability to sway political systems in countries in Europe, Africa and elsewhere.
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Ukraine’s counteroffensive in Kharkiv could mark a turning point in the war, Western officials said, while Moscow described its pullback as a decision to “regroup.”
- German chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke over the phone for 90 minutes on Tuesday.
- Russia said its war in Ukraine will continue “until the goals that have been set are achieved,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency said that all three backup power lines to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were restored over the last few days.
More live updates here.
- Ukraine’s counteroffensive in Kharkiv could mark a turning point in the war, Western officials said, while Moscow described its pullback as a decision to “regroup.”
- German chancellor Olaf Scholz and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke over the phone for 90 minutes on Tuesday.
- Russia said its war in Ukraine will continue “until the goals that have been set are achieved,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency said that all three backup power lines to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant were restored over the last few days.
More live updates here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Moscow’s rapid loss of ground shows its military may be spent as an offensive force for the foreseeable future, military analysts say.
- Russia has secretly funneled at least $300 million to foreign political parties and candidates globally since 2014 in an attempt to shape political events, according to a U.S. intelligence review.
- Ukraine is calling on Germany to provide armored vehicles — including battle tanks and personnel carriers — but so far Germany has been unwilling to grant the request.
- Videos and photos posted on social media have provided a glimpse into what Russian troops left behind during their hasty retreat from the Kharkiv region.
More live updates here.
- Moscow’s rapid loss of ground shows its military may be spent as an offensive force for the foreseeable future, military analysts say.
- Russia has secretly funneled at least $300 million to foreign political parties and candidates globally since 2014 in an attempt to shape political events, according to a U.S. intelligence review.
- Ukraine is calling on Germany to provide armored vehicles — including battle tanks and personnel carriers — but so far Germany has been unwilling to grant the request.
- Videos and photos posted on social media have provided a glimpse into what Russian troops left behind during their hasty retreat from the Kharkiv region.
More live updates here.
Ukraine to Germany: Send armored vehicles now
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s ability to expel Russian forces from its country as soon as possible now depends largely on Germany and its willingness to send desperately needed armor, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday.
But Germany is balking, causing deep frustration in Kyiv. It is an echo of the earliest days of the invasion, when Berlin was derided for offering helmets when Ukraine needed heavy weapons.
“Germany needs to understand that the timeline for the end of the war is dependent on its position,” Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Zelensky, told The Washington Post in an interview on Tuesday.
A sweeping counteroffensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region has forced Russian soldiers into a hasty retreat and returned more than 1,100 square miles to Ukrainian control, a potential turning point more than six months into the war.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine’s ability to expel Russian forces from its country as soon as possible now depends largely on Germany and its willingness to send desperately needed armor, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday.
But Germany is balking, causing deep frustration in Kyiv. It is an echo of the earliest days of the invasion, when Berlin was derided for offering helmets when Ukraine needed heavy weapons.
“Germany needs to understand that the timeline for the end of the war is dependent on its position,” Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to Zelensky, told The Washington Post in an interview on Tuesday.
A sweeping counteroffensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region has forced Russian soldiers into a hasty retreat and returned more than 1,100 square miles to Ukrainian control, a potential turning point more than six months into the war.
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian offensive thwarted Russia’s annexation plans in Kharkiv
KYIV, Ukraine — As Ukrainian forces secretly prepared a counteroffensive that would expel occupying Russian soldiers from the northeastern Kharkiv region, Moscow was so sure of its hold on the territory that it began imposing Russian curriculum in the local schools.
With that land and those schools back under the Ukrainian military’s control after the lightning-fast advances in recent days, and with Moscow’s annexation plans foiled, for now at least, Ukraine said it had arrested Russian teachers left behind by the retreating Russian soldiers.
Moscow has acknowledged educators were arrested, but has claimed they were Ukrainian collaborators, not Russian citizens.
Read the full story here.
KYIV, Ukraine — As Ukrainian forces secretly prepared a counteroffensive that would expel occupying Russian soldiers from the northeastern Kharkiv region, Moscow was so sure of its hold on the territory that it began imposing Russian curriculum in the local schools.
With that land and those schools back under the Ukrainian military’s control after the lightning-fast advances in recent days, and with Moscow’s annexation plans foiled, for now at least, Ukraine said it had arrested Russian teachers left behind by the retreating Russian soldiers.
Moscow has acknowledged educators were arrested, but has claimed they were Ukrainian collaborators, not Russian citizens.
Read the full story here.
Rapid loss of territory in Ukraine reveals spent Russian military
Moscow’s rapid loss of more than 2,300 square miles of territory in northeastern Ukraine has raised the prospect that the Russian military is spent as an offensive force for the foreseeable future, which could limit Russian President Vladimir Putin to defending the Ukrainian territory he already holds while leaving him open to additional defeats, according to military analysts.
The situation is a sobering reality for Putin, whose forces barreled into Ukraine on Feb. 24 on a mission to “demilitarize” and “denazify” the country but retreated from Kyiv just over five weeks later to concentrate on expanding control over Ukraine’s east through artillery warfare. As Ukrainian forces roll back those eastern gains, Putin faces obstacles in replenishing the battered ranks and degraded equipment of his military to any degree that would allow Russia to again take the initiative on the battlefield.
Read the full story here.
Moscow’s rapid loss of more than 2,300 square miles of territory in northeastern Ukraine has raised the prospect that the Russian military is spent as an offensive force for the foreseeable future, which could limit Russian President Vladimir Putin to defending the Ukrainian territory he already holds while leaving him open to additional defeats, according to military analysts.
The situation is a sobering reality for Putin, whose forces barreled into Ukraine on Feb. 24 on a mission to “demilitarize” and “denazify” the country but retreated from Kyiv just over five weeks later to concentrate on expanding control over Ukraine’s east through artillery warfare. As Ukrainian forces roll back those eastern gains, Putin faces obstacles in replenishing the battered ranks and degraded equipment of his military to any degree that would allow Russia to again take the initiative on the battlefield.
Read the full story here.
Zelensky visits liberated Izyum as Ukraine seeks to keep Russia on the run
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a bold visit on Wednesday to the recently liberated city of Izyum, in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region, where he participated in a flag-raising ceremony to mark the nation’s most important military victory since Russian invaders were repelled from the suburbs of Kyiv in late March.
Zelensky, striking a resolute tone, said that while Russia might temporarily occupy parts of Ukraine, “it is definitely impossible to occupy our people, the Ukrainian people.”
“The heroes are here,” Zelensky said, describing the significance of the blue-and-yellow banner. “It means that the enemy is gone, ran away.”
Read the full story here.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a bold visit on Wednesday to the recently liberated city of Izyum, in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region, where he participated in a flag-raising ceremony to mark the nation’s most important military victory since Russian invaders were repelled from the suburbs of Kyiv in late March.
Zelensky, striking a resolute tone, said that while Russia might temporarily occupy parts of Ukraine, “it is definitely impossible to occupy our people, the Ukrainian people.”
“The heroes are here,” Zelensky said, describing the significance of the blue-and-yellow banner. “It means that the enemy is gone, ran away.”
Read the full story here.
Here is the latest from Ukraine:
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise visit Wednesday to Izyum, where he thanked troops for liberating the area from Russian forces and vowed that the country’s blue-and-yellow flag would fly again “in every Ukrainian city and village.”
- The European Union will push ahead with emergency measures to tackle the energy crisis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday, adding that she plans to visit Kyiv next week.
- Ukraine’s creditors agreed to defer debt service for the war-torn country, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said in a statement Wednesday, to allow the Ukrainian government “to direct additional resources toward its domestic needs and the welfare of the Ukrainian people.”
- Putin spoke with U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres over the phone Wednesday, and said Russia would continue to “work on the Russia-UN line at various levels,” according to a Kremlin readout.
More live updates here.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise visit Wednesday to Izyum, where he thanked troops for liberating the area from Russian forces and vowed that the country’s blue-and-yellow flag would fly again “in every Ukrainian city and village.”
- The European Union will push ahead with emergency measures to tackle the energy crisis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday, adding that she plans to visit Kyiv next week.
- Ukraine’s creditors agreed to defer debt service for the war-torn country, Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen said in a statement Wednesday, to allow the Ukrainian government “to direct additional resources toward its domestic needs and the welfare of the Ukrainian people.”
- Putin spoke with U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres over the phone Wednesday, and said Russia would continue to “work on the Russia-UN line at various levels,” according to a Kremlin readout.
More live updates here.