Following Russian forces' announcement that they were withdrawing soldiers from the strategically important territory, Ukraine seized control of 12 towns and villages in the southern Kherson region on Thursday.
In the past day, Ukrainian forces had retaken six settlements after fighting near Petropavlivka-Novoraisk and another six in the Pervomaiske-Kherson direction, taking back more than 200 square kilometers from Russian forces, according to Ukrainian general Valeriy Zaluzhny, who posted the information on social media.
The advance took place less than a day after Moscow ordered its troops to withdraw from the entire Russian-held pocket on the west bank of the Dnipro River, including Kherson city, the only regional capital Russia had captured in nine months of the war.
Ukrainian officials have so far mostly been wary in public, warning that Russians may still be planning to fight and sow destruction on their way out.
In the past day, Ukrainian forces had retaken six settlements after fighting near Petropavlivka-Novoraisk and another six in the Pervomaiske-Kherson direction, taking back more than 200 square kilometers from Russian forces, according to Ukrainian general Valeriy Zaluzhny, who posted the information on social media.
The advance took place less than a day after Moscow ordered its troops to withdraw from the entire Russian-held pocket on the west bank of the Dnipro River, including Kherson city, the only regional capital Russia had captured in nine months of the war.
Ukrainian officials have so far mostly been wary in public, warning that Russians may still be planning to fight and sow destruction on their way out.
