“We have decided to regroup our forces in Izhum and Balaklia,” the defense ministry said. According to Moscow, the move is necessary for the “liberation of the Donbas”, consisting of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. There is currently heavy fighting in Donetsk. The pro-Russian separatist leader in the area says the situation in the city of Lyman is “very difficult” and there is also fighting in other places, notably in northern Donetsk.
The announcement about the move of Russian military personnel comes hours after Ukrainian authorities said they had recaptured the occupied city of Kupyansk. Located in Kharkiv, this city is of strategic importance as it is where railway tracks converge that are used by Russia to supply troops in northeastern Ukraine.
The Ukrainian army is making rapid advances in Kharkiv. According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, at least 30 places have been recaptured in recent days.