One of Russia’s important forces has been “severely weakened,” according to British intelligence, and Ukraine’s military looks to be consolidating territory gains.
The fleeing Russians are under increasing pressure as Ukrainian troops move deeper into the captured territory to consolidate previous gains.
As the assault progressed, Ukraine’s border guard agencies reported that the army had taken control of Vovchansk, a town just three kilometers (two miles) from Russia that was captured on the first day of the battle.
Moscow has recognized that it recently retreated from territories in the northeastern province of Kharkiv, as well as from Melitopol, the second-largest city in the Zaporizhia region of southern Ukraine.
Ivan Fedorov, the pre-occupation mayor of the city, claimed on Telegram that Russian troops were moving toward Moscow’s annexation of Crimea.
In addition, he said that columns of military equipment had been spotted at a checkpoint in Chonhar, the settlement that marks the border between the Crimean Peninsula and the Ukrainian mainland.
Melitopol has been occupied since the beginning of March. Capturing it would allow Kyiv to cut Russian supply routes between the southern and eastern Donbas regions, the two major areas where Moscow-backed forces control territory.
In his nighttime address to the Ukrainian people, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that “stabilization steps” had been implemented in the freed cities and villages.
“Remnants of occupiers and sabotage organizations are being discovered, collaborators are being arrested, and complete security is being restored,” he added, adding that border guards had been dispatched to secure “the state boundary in the liberated territory.”
“It is crucial that, with our forces and our flag, normal, everyday life enters the de-occupied region,” he stated.
Officials were jubilant, sharing footage of their troops torching Russian flags and inspecting abandoned, burnt tanks.
In one video, border patrol agents can be seen tearing down a billboard that read, “We are one people with Russia.”
According to British intelligence estimates, the 1st Guards Tank Army, one of Russia’s finest troops, was “severely weakened” during the invasion, along with the conventional Russian forces geared to oppose NATO.
Russia would likely require years to reestablish this capability, according to officials.
Abbas Gallyamov, an independent Russian political analyst and former speechwriter for Putin, believes that the defeat may rekindle Russia’s interest in peace talks.
President Zelenskyy has made it plain that Russia must return all Ukrainian territory, including Crimea, even if Putin were to sit down at the bargaining table. Gallyamov said.
Experts however note that momentum has shifted in the past, and Ukraine’s supporters have been careful not to declare victory prematurely, as Russian President Vladimir Putin still possesses troops and resources.
President Biden told reporters in Washington that it was evident that the Ukrainians had made “substantial progress.”
However, he refrained from claiming that recent victories constituted a turning point in the battle, stating that “the question is unanswerable, it’s difficult to say.”
“I anticipate a lengthy process,” he continued.
Russia’s Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov stated that forces were retaliating with “massive strikes” across all fronts in response to the country’s worst loss since its failed attempt to conquer Kiev early in the war.
However, there were no indications of an abrupt spike in Russian strikes.
In the aftermath of the apparent withdrawal, Ukrainian officials proceeded into multiple regions to examine allegations of Russian military atrocities against civilians.
Since 2014, Russia has secretly spent more than £260 million attempting to influence lawmakers and other authorities in more than two dozen nations, according to the United States Department of State.
The department took the extraordinary step of disclosing a diplomatic cable signed by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and sent on Monday to numerous US embassies and consulates abroad, most of which are located in Europe, Africa, and South Asia, outlining the concerns.
The cable, which was marked “sensitive” and was not meant for foreign audiences but was not classified, contained talking points regarding alleged Russian meddling that US diplomats were advised to address with their host governments.
