Ukraine recaptured 1,000 square kilometres in a week, says Zelensky

• Ukraine claims to have retaken territory from Russia near Kharkiv.
• President Volodymyr Zelensky declared the area “liberated” as part of a counter-offensive launched on September 1.
• If confirmed, it would be the fastest advance by Ukrainian troops since March.

Ukraine claims to have retaken more than 1,000 square kilometres (385 square miles) of territory from Russia in the last week.

President Volodymyr Zelensky declared the area “liberated” as part of a counter-offensive launched on September 1.

Another general claims that more than 20 villages in the Kharkiv region have been recaptured.

Some of the advances have been disputed by Russian forces, which if confirmed would be a significant victory for Ukraine.

So far this month, Kyiv has liberated “dozens of settlements” near the north-eastern Kharkiv region, President Zelensky said in his nightly address on Thursday.

Ukraine’s army claimed in a separate Facebook post that its troops had advanced 50 kilometres in the last three days alone (31 miles). If confirmed, this would be the fastest movement of the front line since Russian forces retreated from positions around Kyiv in March.

The offensive south of Kharkiv would also bring Ukrainian troops closer to the eastern region of Donetsk, which Russia has maintained significant military control over since the conflict began six months ago.

According to Reuters, the Kremlin declined to comment on Kyiv’s claims to have retaken territory near Kharkiv on Friday.

However, some Russian officials disputed the extent of the advances, including Kyiv’s claim to have recaptured the city of Balakliya, which was captured on video by Ukrainian soldiers and shared by President Zelensky.

Vitaly Ganchev, a local Moscow-appointed official, told Russian state TV that this was not the case, claiming that despite a Ukrainian attempt to retake the city, Russian forces had successfully repelled them.

According to Russia’s Tass news agency, Mr Ganchev stated on Thursday, “The city is under our control.”

The BBC has not been able to confirm who controls the city, but verified social media posts on Thursday show Ukrainian flags flying from administrative buildings in the city’s centre.

Ukraine has struggled to push Russian troops back, but these latest advances could put Ukraine’s military within striking distance of a major railway line that supplies Russian forces.

According to the Institute for the Study of War, Kyiv’s troops are now only 15 kilometres (9 miles) from Kupiansk, which is home to an important railway junction used by Moscow to supply its troops on the battlefield.

While Ukraine claims to have advanced its troops in some areas, there have been reports of renewed Russian aerial attacks in others.

Dmytro Zhvytskyi, governor of Ukraine’s north-eastern Sumy region, claimed on Friday that a Russian air strike “destroyed” a hospital, injuring multiple people.

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