The Ukrainian military has retaken additional ground in unlawfully acquired Russian territories, with Kiev’s forces pushing near the southern city of Kherson and consolidating gains in the east. Also, on Saturday, Ukrainian forces regained Lyman, an important hub town in the east near the Luhansk regional border.
What’s going on now
Russia’s proxy forces in Luhansk said that Ukrainian troops had advanced a few kilometres into the region. According to reports, Ukrainian soldiers are pushing toward the Russian-held villages of Kreminna and Svatove in Luhansk.
Why this matter
Kherson and Luhansk are two of four districts that Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared to be part of Russia, following so-called referendums that Kyiv and its Western allies have condemned as fraudulent. Russia does not have complete control over any of the four regions.
Going forward
Kiev has threatened to reclaim all land acquired by Russia, including Crimea, which Russian soldiers seized in 2014.
According to the Russian defence ministry, reservists drafted under Mr. Putin’s mobilization order last month is receiving extensive combat training in the Russian-controlled territories of Luhansk and Donetsk. The Kremlin intends to call up approximately 300,000 reservists, though Mr. Putin did not specify a cap.