- Ukraine now on the offensive in both the south and east
- New US military aid to Ukraine likely, White House says
- Residents in the northeast greet Ukrainian forces with cheers and hugs
BALAKLIIA, Ukraine, Sept 14 (Reuters) – Ukraine worked on Wednesday to secure territory recaptured from occupying Russian forces in a swift counter-offensive and reiterated its plans to retake all occupied regions, as President North- American Joe Biden predicted “a long road” ahead.
In a speech on Tuesday evening, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said about 8,000 square km (3,100 square miles) had been liberated by Ukrainian forces so far this month, apparently all in the northeastern Kharkiv region.
“Stabilization measures” have been completed in about half of this territory, Zelenskiy said, “and in a liberated area of ​​approximately the same size, stabilization measures are still ongoing.”
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Reuters could not immediately verify the full extent of the battlefield successes claimed by Ukraine. The total area cited by Zelenskiy is roughly the size of the Greek island of Crete.
Asked if Ukraine has reached a tipping point in the six-month war, Biden said it was hard to say.
“It is clear that the Ukrainians have made significant progress, but I think it will be a long time coming.”
The White House, which has provided billions of dollars in arms and support to Ukraine, has said the United States is likely to announce a new military aid package in “the next few days.”
Russian forces have left defensive positions, particularly in and around Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, a US spokesman said.
Ukraine’s fastest advance since pushing Russian forces out of the capital in March has turned the tide of the six-month war.
SOLDIERS WELCOME
Since Moscow abandoned its main stronghold in the northeast on Saturday, marking its worst defeat since the first days of the war, Ukrainian troops have retaken dozens of towns in a stunning shift in battlefield momentum.
Speaking in the central square of Balaklia, a crucial military supply center seized by Ukrainian forces late last week, Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar said 150,000 people had been freed from Russian rule in the area
“The goal is to liberate the Kharkiv region and beyond, all the territories occupied by the Russian Federation,” Malyar said on the road to Balakliia, which is 74 km (46 miles) southeast of Kharkiv .
Groups of Ukrainian soldiers smoked, smiled and chatted by the side of the Balakliia road, which was littered with charred vehicles and destroyed military equipment.
Ukrainian soldiers rest on the road as they head to the front line, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine September 13, 2022. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
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A soldier was lying on top of a tank as if it were his living room couch. Read more
With the Ukrainian flag flying once more in the city, people called for supplies and spoke of all they had suffered.
“I was leaving… when I saw an armored personnel carrier arriving at the square with a Ukrainian flag – my heart sank and I started to cry,” said Mariya Tymofiyeva, a 43-year-old resident years, with his voice. trembling with excitement.
Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Syehubov said authorities were trying to record the crimes committed by the Russians during their occupation of the area and recover the bodies of the victims.
“We’re asking everyone around about all the burial sites that can be found,” he said.
Moscow denies that its forces have committed atrocities in areas it controls since Putin ordered the invasion on February 24.
EYES OF DONBAS
Russian forces still control about a fifth of Ukraine in the south and east, but Kyiv is now on the offensive in both areas.
Ukraine’s presidential adviser, Oleksiy Arestovych, raised the prospect of moving into the eastern province of Lugansk, which together with Donetsk is known as the Donbass, a major industrial region near the border with Russia.
“Now there is an assault on Lyman and there could be a breakthrough on Siversk,” Arestovych said in a video posted on YouTube. He predicted a fight for the city of Svatovo, where he said the Russians have storage depots.
“And that’s what they fear the most: that we take Lyman and then advance to Lysychansk and Sievierodonetsk,” he said, referring to the twin cities occupied by Russia after fierce fighting in June and July.
Denis Pushilin, leader of the Russian-led Donetsk People’s Republic, said in a video post that Lyman remains in his hands. “The situation has stabilized. The enemy is naturally trying to advance in small groups, but the allied forces (led by Russia) are completely repelling them.”
Meanwhile, repair crews have restored the two main power lines supplying the city of Kharkiv and its surroundings, power company Ukrenergo said after Russian shelling caused blackouts.
Kyiv fears Moscow will step up attacks on its energy grids as winter approaches and is calling on anti-aircraft technology from the West to protect infrastructure. Read more
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Reporting by Tom Balmforth; additional reporting by Anna Voitenko and Reuters bureaus; writing by Grant McCool and Lincoln Feast; Editing by Himani Sarkar
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