Categories: International

Ukraine war: Kyiv claims major gains as Russia exits Kherson

The Ukrainian army says it has made major gains over the last day around Kherson, after Russia said it was withdrawing from the southern city.

Ukrainian troops say they have taken back the key town of Snihurivka, 50km (30 miles) to the north of Kherson.

Kyiv has also claimed big pushes on two fronts near Kherson, including advances of 7km in some places.

Russia says it has started to exit the city – its top gain in the invasion – but the process could take weeks.

Wednesday’s announcement was viewed as a major setback for Moscow’s war effort, though Ukrainian officials were sceptical – warning that the manoeuvre could be a trap.

There was no immediate evidence of any mass-scale Russian withdrawal from Kherson.

Ukraine’s commander-in-chief Valeriy Zaluzhny said on Thursday that he could not confirm or deny the pull-out – but said his own forces had made important advances.

Gen Zaluzhny said his soldiers had driven forward on two fronts on the western bank of the Dnipro river – an area of land which encompasses Kherson – taking control of 12 settlements.

The 7km gains were made “during the past day”, he said, as troops advanced along a northern-eastern axis and a separate western axis.