Ukrainian forces have recaptured more than 3,000 square kilometers of territory in eastern Ukraine, more territory than Russian forces have captured in all their operations in Ukraine since April. Follow here for news updates.
As Russian forces suffer a string of stunning defeats in Ukraine, Moscow is playing up Beijing’s support for its invasion ahead of a key meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping this week.
Russian troops were forced to flee the strategic city of Izium — their main bastion in northeastern Ukraine — on Saturday after a swift Ukrainian counteroffensive.
It was Moscow’s worst defeat since its retreat from Kyiv in March — and a sign that the war might be entering a new phase. Over the past week, Ukrainian forces have recaptured more than 3,000 square kilometers of territory — more than Russian forces have captured in all their operations since April.
Back in Russia, senior Russian and Chinese officials have put on a united front to pave the way for an expected meeting between Putin and Xi on the sidelines of a regional summit in Uzbekistan — their first face-to-face meeting since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
