The Ukrainian military is retaking territory at high speed on the front line in the Kharkiv District in northeastern Ukraine. As of last week, Ukraine has taken back more than 1,000 square kilometers of Russian occupation control.

700 square kilometers have been reclaimed in Kharkiv Oblast, where there is constant news that new areas have been liberated.

Pull out

The Russians are gradually withdrawing their troops from the important city of Izium in the Kharkiv Oblast.

There is now some confirmation from the Russian and pro-Russian sides that Russian troops have withdrawn from Izium, at the same time that the Ukrainian flag is being flown over the city.

It Russia’s state-controlled news agency Tass reported that civilians had been evacuated from the area, and claimed that Russia was gathering troops from the city to prioritize them in the Donetsk area.

Local occupation authorities confirmed to Tass that they are now evacuating civilians from Izium to Russia.

Leaving Izium

At the same time, the Deputy Minister of Information in the Donetsk People’s Republic, Daniil Bezsonov, reported that Russian troops had also left Izium, according to Russian newspaper Gazeta.

According to Tass, Russian authorities reported that they are now regrouping their forces in the area, to strengthen the offensive against Donetsk.

Also Ukrainian newspapers Ukrainian Pravda reported that Russian troops had or were about to leave Izium.

Surprised

Kyiv Independent Correspondent Ilja Ponomarenko was surprised by the speed of Ukraine’s counterattack in the east.

– I can’t believe my eyes. Izium has been taken back, Lyman has been taken back and Svijatohirk might as well, he wrote on Twitter.

– Russia’s front lines in the northeast are collapsing hour by hour.

In recent days, Ukraine has carried out a massive blitzkrieg in Kharkiv Oblast. In the past 24 hours alone, it appears that Ukraine has managed to capture all or part of the strategically important city of Kupjansk, northeast of Izium.