KYIV, Ukraine – While everyone was preparing for the widely announced counter-offensive of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Kherson, in the first days of September, a rapid and successful de-occupation from the Russian invaders of the Kharkiv region began.
Already on September 12, the Ukrainian authorities reported that they had reached the state border with the Russian Federation. Just a few days later, on September 15, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that almost the entire Kharkiv region had been liberated. According to the president, “in the first day of hostilities, Ukrainian troops advanced 19 km, in 5 days they fought 110 km, in total, almost 400 settlements were de-occupied.”
The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation recognized the withdrawal of the military from the region, calling it a “regrouping of troops”. Russian propagandists called it a “great retreat”, as in 1915. However, according to the number of abandoned equipment, people, and panic among Russian bloggers, there was a “great escape” of the Russian troops.
ISW analysts in their September 11 report stated that Ukrainian forces have liberated more territory in 5 days than Russian troops have seized in all their operations since April.
The first 200 days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as mapped by @criticalthreats and @TheStudyofWar.
— Brady Africk (@bradyafr) September 18, 2022
Ukrainian forces have liberated more than 60,000 square kilometers of territory since April. pic.twitter.com/UNTHihw5UL
The first high-profile result of the de-occupation in the Kharkiv region was the liberation on September 8 of the city of Balakliya (population of 27 thousand people).
Two days later, it became known that Ukrainian forces had entered the city of Kupyiansk – the key railway hub, cutting a major Russian army supply route.
Also in those days was liberated operationally significant Vovchansk, northest of Kharkiv. This town is located 3 km from the border with Russia.
Also, it was reported that the Ukrainian army reached the Hoptivka check point, at the northern border of Russia.
The liberation of the city of Izium (46,000 people live there) was an important success in the counteroffensive since it was this bridgehead that Russia used to attack Donbas from the north.
On September 17, the Armed Forces of Ukraine also took control of the second bank of the Oskil River.
According to British intelligence, the Russians fixed their positions between the Oskil River and the city of Svatove (Luhansk region). Control over this area will allow Ukraine to reach the Luhansk region.
At the same time, while the Armed Forces of Ukraine are fighting for strategically important Lyman, some villages of the Luhansk region have been already recaptured, such as Bilohorivka.
Thanks to the successful counter-offensive in the Kharkov direction, the liberation of the Donetsk region became much faster. Now there are free villages of Ozerne, Shchurove, and Dibrova in the Sloviansk direction.
Unexpectedly the Ukrainian forces de-occupied the city of Sviatohirsk and the small settlement near that – Yarova.
Images appear online of Ukrainian flag over the administrative building in Sviatohirsk, Donetsk region. pic.twitter.com/ljix6FHc4B
— Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) September 12, 2022
While the situation in the east looks dynamic, the offensive in the Kherson region is moving more slowly. Because it is an agricultural region with irrigation canals that can be used as defensive trenches. As of September 12, meanwhile, the Armed Forces of Ukraine liberated the settlements of Visokopilya, Novovoznesenske, Bilohirka, Sukhy Stavok, and Myrolyubivka.
The military informed about the de-occupation of about 500 square km. But the military officials urge to keep silent about recaptured territories due to humanitarian reasons and security issues.
However, recently President Zelensky said that it can look for someone that “after a series of victories we have a certain lull, but this is preparation”.