Ukrainians rejoice in liberated Izium after Russian forces retreat: ‘we had tears in our eyes’
- Russian troops withdrawing from the northern part of the Kharkiv region in the wake of a successful Ukrainian counter-attack
- US-based think tank said recapture of Izium city is the ‘most significant Ukrainian military achievement’ since the battle for Kyiv in March
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Ukraine’s shock counteroffensive on eastern front pushes back Russian invasion forces
In the Ukrainian city of Izium, the country’s blue and yellow flag has been raised again over the charred city hall, months after Russian tanks barrelled in.
Gleeful residents rush to a hill near a mobile phone tower, the only place in town with a signal, to call relatives to share their good news: the Russians are out.
Ukrainian soldiers liberated the eastern city at the weekend as the army reclaimed swathes of territory, part of its lighting counteroffensive to beat back Russian soldiers who invaded February 24.
“The liberation of Izium would be the most significant Ukrainian military achievement since winning the Battle of Kyiv in March,” the Institute for the Study of the War (ISW) said in its situation analysis on Sunday.
For some Izium residents, the sight of Ukrainian soldiers sparked waves of emotion.
“We welcomed them with tears in our eyes. We had been waiting for them for months … we are very happy,” 61-year-old Nadiya Nesolena says.