An abandoned Russian T-62 tank south ot the village of Novovorontsovka, pictured on October 7
(Picture: AFP via Getty Images)Ukraine on Friday claimed to have liberated 600 towns and villages from Vladimir Putin’s forces in the past month as Kyiv continues to push its counter-offensive.
The scale of Ukraine’s recaptured territory was revealed as residents in Kherson — one of four regions illegally annexed by Russia last month — were urged to evacuate.
In a possible sign that Moscow is deeply concerned about the counter-offensive across areas it seized after launching its invasion nearly eight months ago, Russian deputy prime minister Marat Khusnullin promised free accommodation to residents of Kherson who wanted to flee.
He made the announcement shortly after the Russia-backed leader of the region asked the Kremlin to organise an evacuation from four cities.
Vladimir Saldo said in an online video: “We suggested that all residents of the Kherson region, if they wish to protect themselves from the consequences of missile strikes, go to other regions.” People should “leave with their children”, he added.
Mr Saldo said a decision had been made to evacuate residents to the Russian regions of Rostov, Krasnodar and Stavropol, as well as the annexed Crimea. The first fleeing civilians were due to arrive in the Rostov region on Friday, Russia’s TASS news agency reported.
The evacuation plea came as Ukrainian forces push their counter-offensive deeper into the southern Kherson region. Ukrainian forces have reported steady territorial gains along the southern front, including Kherson.
Ukrainian armed forces have reported steady territorial gains along the southern front, including the recapture of 75 settlements in Kherson in the last month, according to the Ministry for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories.
In the east, Ukraine’s armed forces have recaptured 502 settlements in the Kharkiv region, 43 in the Donetsk region and seven in the Luhansk region, the ministry said.
However there were signs today that Russia was still managing to make some advances in Donetsk, another region Moscow is now claiming as its own.
UK defence chiefs said Russian-backed forces had moved towards the centre of the strategically important town of Bakhmut, and had probably advanced into villages to the south.
Soldiers from the Wagner Group - which has been dubbed Putin’s private army - “likely remains” heavily involved in the Bakhmut fighting, the Ministry of Defence said.
In his latest video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that “brutal” fighting continued in Bakhmut.
Mr Zelensky said Ukrainian troops were defending the town with “skilful and heroic actions.”
Russia also appeared to be continuing its targeted attacks on critical infrastructure across Ukraine, a strategy that started on Monday with a massive, coordinated attack which Putin said was retaliation for the explosion on a bridge linking Crimea to the Russian mainland.
Multiple missile strikes shook the Zaphorizhzhia region capital overnight. Regional Governor Oleksandr Starukh said several explosions were reported in the city overnight at infrastructure facilities, causing fires.
There were no victims in preliminary reports, and further details about specific damage were unavailable. Russian forces have struck the regional capital and surrounding area continuously in recent days and weeks, creating concerns about the safety of the nearby nuclear power plant.
In his video address, Mr Zelensky accused the urged the International Committee of the Red Cross of inaction amid concerns over Ukrainian prisoners of war being held in a notorious camp in the Russia-occupied east of the country.
The Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, demanded that the Red Cross visit the Olenivka prison in Donetsk within three days.
“We just can’t waste more time. Human lives are at stake,” he tweeted.
Last month, the Red Cross tried to secure access to the camp, but said it was denied by Russian authorities.
In July, dozens of Ukrainian prisoners were killed in explosions at the camp, which both sides blamed on each other.
Mr Zelensky urged the Red Cross to launch a fresh mission to the prison, saying it had “obligations, primarily of a moral nature”.
