Ukraine’s
counteroffensive against Russian forces in the Kharkiv region has yielded
results. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday that his forces have
taken over 2,000 square kilometres area in eastern Ukraine. This means, Kyiv
has doubled its gains in a little over 24 hours, according to the BBC.

On
Saturday, Ukrainian forces stormed the towns of Izyum and Kupiansk. The Russian
defence ministry later said that it has retreated from Izyum and its forces
were re-group in an area controlled by separatists, allegedly backed by Moscow.
Kyiv was to wrench nearly 30 towns and villages in the region from Moscow’s
control.

Further, Putin’s
forces have also began to withdraw from Balaklyia, another key town, is order to
“bolster efforts” on the Donetsk front. The Moscow-backed administration in
Kharkiv has called on people to move to Russia to “save lives”.

Also Read | Izyum has fallen: Ukraine pushes Russia into retreat in counteroffensive

Unverified
videos on social media show long traffic snarls in and around the towns. In
Russia’s Belgorod border region, the governor said mobile catering, heating and
medical assistance would be made available to people queueing.   

The key in
Ukraine’s counteroffensive was speed. The pace at which Zelensky’s troops moved
into Ukraine surprised not just the Russians but also a section of Ukrainians. However,
Russia still holds nearly one-fifth of Ukraine.

This is the
greatest change in status quo in the Russia-Ukraine conflict since Putin’s troops
were ousted from Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The loss of Izyum and Kupiansk will
matter to Moscow because Kupiansk was Russia’s main eastern supply hub and
Putin had tried for nearly a month to conquer Izyum.

According
to a military expert who spoke to the BBC, the Ukrainian advance marks the
first time since the Second World War that two whole Russian units have been
defeated. Ukraine, on the other hand, hopes to regain other lost story in the
same way. Ukraine’s Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said the developments are
evidence that the forces could end the war quicker with more Western weapons.