Russians in Retreat After Ukraine Launches Counteroffensives in Kharkiv

In retaliation, Russia targeted infrastructure facilities in the central and eastern parts of the country.

The Kharkiv heat power plant after the Russian strikes. 

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/@Tsihanouskaya)

In Ukraine's northeast province of Kharkiv, Russian troops are on the run. Kyiv has said that its military has retaken more than 3,000 sq km of territory in the past 11 days during a rapid counteroffensive in the east.

And in the last 24 hours itself, Ukraine has claimed that it has forced out Russian troops from more than 20 towns and villages. According to the general staff, enemy troops were fleeing deep into occupied Donbas or straight back to Russia.

On 10 September, it was confirmed that the Ukrainian military had captured the city of Kupyansk (60 miles east of Kharkiv city) in Kharkiv Oblast. According to sources on both sides, the city of Izyum (also in Kharkiv Oblast) was also liberated.

The Russian Defence Ministry has also confirmed the withdrawal of its troops from the town of Balaklyia, in the Izium Raion district in Kharkiv. The Russians say that the withdrawals are strategic, that is, to "bolster efforts" on the Donetsk front.

"The rapid Ukrainian successes have significant implications for Russia’s overall operational design," tweeted the British Ministry of Defense.

Russia Retaliates

In retaliation against Ukraine's counteroffensives, Russia targeted infrastructure facilities in the central and eastern parts of the country on Sunday.

The military launched strikes that targeted the the power grid and the heat power plant, causing an electricity blackout in Kharkiv and other areas.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that "the civilised world [could] clearly see these terrorist acts" and that Moscow was trying to deprive the Ukrainians of "gas, light, water and food."

"Do you still think that we are 'one people'? Do you still think that you can scare us, break us, make us make concessions? You really did not understand anything?"

Russia's Redeployment and Western Weapons

One reason that analysts are pointing at for Russia's retreat is that it had diverted thousands of its best combat troops to Kherson a few weeks ago. This was in response to a Ukrainian offensive that had reportedly began around the same time.

The redeployment meant that there were lesser troops to defend Kharkiv.

Additionally, Ukraine's performance is showing the importance of Western weapons in the war.

The country's success against Russia was "directly and exclusively dependent on the resources available to Ukraine," wrote General Valery Zaluzhny, Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, for Ukrinform, a state news agency.