Retreat by Russia brings hope of an end to war by Christmas
RUSSIAN troops were on the retreat on two vital fronts yesterday, as a top Ukrainian officer predicted the war could be over by Christmas.
In a sign the momentum on the battlefield is shifting further against Russia, a counteroffensive has driven the country’s forces away from Ukraine’s second largest city Kharkiv, just 30 miles from the Russian border.
In their fastest advance since Moscow’s troops pulled away from Kyiv, Ukrainian forces seized numerous towns north of the city and forced the invaders into retreat.
Russian artillery is also now out of range of the city, which has withstood more than two months of heavy bombardments.
The Institute for the Study ofwar think-tank said Ukraine has “likely won the battle” for Kharkiv.
Mayor Ihorterekhov said: “Due to the efforts of Kharkiv territorial defence and Ukrainian Armed Forces, the Russians have withdrawn far from the city [towards] the Russian border.
“Now it is calm in Kharkiv and people are gradually coming back to the city.”
The Ukrainian military leadership said the “enemy’s main efforts are focused on ensuring the withdrawal of its units”.
Supply lines to forces dug in around the Russian-held town of Izyum in eastern Ukraine are now under threat.
From that town, Russian forces are trying to encircle battle-hardened Ukrainian forces defending the eastern frontline, as they attempt to capture the entire Donbas region.
But a counter-offensive around Izyum has also seen Russian forces “retreating on some fronts”, regional governor Oleh Sinegubov said yesterday. US politicians, including the
Senate Republican leader Mitch Mcconnell, yesterday met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv.
Mr Mitchell, the leader of the Republican minority in Congress, supports a bipartisan effort to give billions in military and humanitarian aid – and Mr Zelensky thanked him for “helping us fight not only for our country but also for democratic values and freedoms”.
The head of Ukraine’s military intelligence, Major General Kyrylo Budanov, said the war would reach a turning point by mid-august and be over by the end of the year.
He added that they will re-occupy all territories seized, including Crimea, saying: “We’ve been fighting Russia for eight years and we can say this highly publicised Russian power is a myth.”
General Budanov added thatvladimir Putin, 69, is in a “very bad psychological and physical condition and is very sick” with cancer and other illnesses.
Yesterday the UK’S Ministry of Defence warned the Russian-imposed military-civilian administration in Ukraine’s Kherson region near Crimea is due to carry out a referendum to join the Russian Federation.
But it said the referendum will be “rigged” and “citizens in the Kherson region will demonstrate” their opposition to Russia.
The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine said 27,200 Russian troops had been killed and 200 aircraft, 163 helicopters, 411 drones, 1,218 tanks, 2,934 armoured personnel carriers and 2,059 trucks and tankers destroyed. It has sunk 13 warships and boats, and brought down 95 cruise missiles.
‘Their highly publicised power is a myth’