Europe Amid Ukraine’s startling gains, liberated villages describe Russian troops dropping rifles and fleeing Ukrainian military vehicles travel on a main road in the Kharkiv Oblast region on Sept. 11.
A fast-moving Ukrainian counteroffensive pushed Russian forces into a stunning retreat from key strategic areas in the northeast Kharkiv region.
ZALIZNYCHNE, Ukraine — In the end, the Russians fled any way they could on Friday, on stolen bicycles, disguised as locals.
They have captured more territory in the past five days “than Russian forces have captured in all their operations since April,” its campaign assessment posted Sunday said.
The apparent collapse of the Russian forces has caused shock waves in Moscow.
“They were not monsters, they were kids,” said Matvienko, who once asked Russian troops to move the tank they parked in front of her house.
“We are not against the talks; we are not refusing the talks,” Lavrov said on the state TV program, “Moscow. »