The UK Ministry of Defense said Russia had likely withdrawn units from the region in northeastern Ukraine, in its daily intelligence briefing. A shocking advance by Ukrainian forces over the past four days has led Russia to order its troops to withdraw from two front-line positions, marking a major gain for the Ukrainian military. The country’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s military had liberated about 2,000 square kilometers of territory since the counteroffensive began. While it has recaptured territory in the region of Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city, fighting continues around the strategically important cities of Kupiansk and Izyum. Izyum was captured by Russia at the start of the war and has remained under their control ever since. Ukrainian flags have been spotted in villages, towns and cities in the eastern region. In its briefing, the defense ministry also dismissed Russian claims as untrue after Vladimir Putin claimed that only a fraction of grain exported by Ukraine under an international agreement went to poor countries. On Wednesday, Putin said only two of the 87 ships, carrying 60,000 tonnes of goods, had gone to poor countries. Use Chrome browser for more accessible video player 1:59 Russian troops withdraw from eastern Ukraine The deal to allow grain exports from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports, brokered by the United Nations and Turkey, came into force last month. Citing UN data, the ministry said about 30 percent of grain exported under the deal has been sourced from low- and middle-income countries. The ministry said Russia was pursuing a “deliberate disinformation strategy” to deflect responsibility for food insecurity issues and discredit Ukraine. The final reactor at the Zaporizhzhia plant was shut down Image: Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station In southern Ukraine, the last reactor at the Zaporizhzhia power plant was shut down after being reconnected to the power grid. The six-reactor plant, which is Europe’s largest nuclear plant, was disconnected from the grid last week after all power lines were cut due to shelling in the area. Energoatom, Ukraine’s atomic energy operator, said one of the power lines was restored late Saturday, allowing plant operators to shut down the last reactor. While both sides blame each other for shelling near the plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces since the early stages of the war, the fighting around it has raised concerns of a nuclear disaster.
