Russia’s TASS, the Russian Defense Ministry announced the retreat of its troops from the west of Ukraine’s Khakriv Oblast calling the defeat of the Russian forces at Balakliia, Kupiansk, and Izium a “regrouping of forces.”
The full report published on TASS’ Telegram channel containing the key points of the Russian MoD’s statement goes as follows:
- “It was decided to regroup the Russian troops stationed in the Balakliia and Izium areas in order to build up efforts in the Donetsk direction”
- “In the course of the operation to liberate the Donbas, a number of distraction and demonstration activities were carried out with the designation of the real actions of the troops”
- “The RF’s Armed Forces eliminated more than 2,000 Ukrainian and foreign fighters, as well as over 100 pieces of armored vehicles and artillery in three days”
- “In three days, the Izium-Balakliia grouping of Russian troops was rolled up and transferred to the territory of the DNR (so-called ‘Donetsk People’s Republic,’ – Ed.)”
- “The RF’s Armed Forces inflicted a powerful fire damage on the enemy in order to prevent damage to Russian troops”
