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Ukraine in maps: Tracking the war with Russia Ukraine in maps: Tracking the war with Russia
(17 days later)
Russia has suffered a major defeat in the south of Ukraine, withdrawing from the western Kherson region . Russia has targeted cities across Ukraine in a new wave of missile strikes.
Here are the latest developments:Here are the latest developments:
The city of Kherson has been liberated by Ukrainian troops Cities including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Lviv and Odesa have been hit by Russian missiles
The loss of the city is a major setback for Russia Power at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant was lost for several hours
Ukraine's latest advance comes after weeks of attacks on Russian-controlled bridges and other positions around Kherson Heavy fighting continues around Bakhmut in the east of the country
Elsewhere in Ukraine, fighting continues in Donetsk as Russian forces attempt to advance towards Bakhmut Front lines in the south around Kherson are largely stable
Ukrainian success in Kherson Missile strikes across Ukraine
Ukrainian troops have won a major victory against Russia, taking control of the western Kherson region, including Kherson city. On Thursday, Russian missiles struck targets in cities across Ukraine, killing at least nine people.
The latest Ukrainian advance came after months of successful attacks on Russian positions on the west side of the Dnipro River, aimed at disrupting Russian supply lines. Buildings and infrastructure were hit in Kyiv, Odesa and Kharkiv, with power blackouts in several areas.
Ukrainian targets included bridges across the river, as well as the roads, pontoons, barges and landing areas. Ukraine said Russia had fired 81 missiles, the largest number in a single wave for several weeks.
Ukraine's success in Kherson resulted "in large part from the Ukrainian Armed Forces' (UAF's) innovative use of the US-provided Himars precision rocket system", according to Institute for the Study of War (ISW). Five people were killed in Lviv, while other targets included Dnipro, Kherson and Zhytomyr.
Multiple precision strikes using Himars made Russian positions on the west side of the river impossible to resupply. Russia said Kinzhal hypersonic missiles were launched in the attacks.
Also in the south, Russia has continued air, missile and artillery strikes in recent days, with targets including Zaporizhzhia City.Ukraine says it has also struck Russian positions in Zaporizhzhia region.Russian forces are forcibly mobilising men in Melitopol and Zaporizhzhia, and forcing them to construct trenches and other defences, according to the ISW. A strike at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station cut the plant off from the Ukrainian power system for several hours, according to the nuclear energy operator Euratom.
Intense fighting in the east For the sixth time since it was taken over by Russia a year ago, the facility operated on diesel generators, which have enough supplies to last at least 10 days.
Russian forces are continuing to conduct ground attacks near Bakhmut and Siversk.Ukraine says it has successfully held off the latest assaults, with intense fighting concentrated on the road network. The head of the UN nuclear watchdog, the IAEA, has issued an urgent warning about safety at the plant. "How can this be allowed to happen... One day our luck will run out," said Rafael Grossi.
Ukrainian troops took control of the key logistical hub of Lyman in Donetsk at the beginning of October. Fighting rages around Bakhmut in the east
Russian forces operating in the East are believed to include regular Russian troops, mobilised servicemen, Wagner private contractors, Chechen units and personnel from the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics. Ukrainian forces are holding on in the eastern city of Bakhmut, under intense pressure from regular Russian troops and Wagner group mercenaries fighting on the Russian side.
The current Russian push towards Bakhmut followed a major defeat in the east in September when Russian units were forced back in the Kharkiv region. On Wednesday, the Wagner group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin said that his forces had captured all of eastern Bakhmut.
Russian troops withdrew from the key towns of Izyum and Kupiansk, saying that the retreat would allow its troops to "regroup". The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) said that the claim was "consistent with available visual evidence".
Both towns were major logistical hubs for Russian forces in Donbas. Why Bakmut matters for Russia and Ukraine
Ukraine's power grid under fire Has Putin's war failed?
Earlier in October, Russia appeared to shift tactics, targeting Ukrainian cities further from the frontline, with missile strikes for the first time in months. Many military analysts say the city is of limited strategic significance. "Russian forces remain unlikely to rapidly exploit a breakthrough beyond Bakhmut if Russian forces capture the city," says the ISW.
Russian forces used Shahed-136 drones recently purchased from Iran in the attacks, as well as ballistic and cruise missiles. The UK Ministry of Defence noted in December that capturing the city "would potentially allow Russia to threaten the larger urban areas of Kramatorsk and Slovyansk".
Attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure by Russian forces have triggered blackouts in major cities, including Kyiv, Lviv, Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv. Western officials estimate between 20,000 and 30,000 Russian troops have been killed or injured so far in and around Bakhmut.
Four regions of Ukraine, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia were annexed by the Russian Federation in September.Russia does not fully control any of the four regions. The fighting is part of a Russian spring offensive, which many analysts say is now under way.
President Vladimir Putin has said that Russia will use "all the forces and resources" it has to "liberate" the four regions. Michael Kofman, of the US-based Center for Naval Analysis, says that, so far, Russia's gains have been "underwhelming".
In an address to the Russian people, Mr Putin said his country had "various weapons of destruction", adding: "I'm not bluffing." But, he adds, Ukraine may struggle to find weaknesses in Russia's defences to mount a counter-attack, as Russian troop positions have been heavily reinforced.
Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, but Ukrainian forces retook large areas around Kyiv in early April after Russia abandoned its push towards the capital. Front lines in the south stable
Areas in the west of the country, including Lviv, have seen missile attacks but no attempt by Russian forces to take and occupy ground. In the south of the country, artillery strikes continue around Kherson.
The Russians have suffered heavy losses since the invasion began and significant quantities of Russian weaponry have also been destroyed or captured. Russian troops withdrew to the left bank, or eastern side, of the Dnipro River in November.
Strikes by Ukrainian forces equipped with US-supplied Himars multiple rocket launchers had made Russian positions unsustainable.
On Wednesday, Ukraine said its forces had destroyed a Russian ammunition depot to the west of Kherson.
But many analysts assess that the front lines around the city are unlikely to change in the short term as Russia has built strong defences for its troops and equipment in the area.
More than a year of fighting
Russia's invasion began with dozens of missile strikes on cities all over Ukraine before dawn on 24 February 2022.
Russian ground troops moved in quickly and within a few weeks were in control of large areas of Ukraine.
They had advanced to the suburbs of Kyiv, and controlled much of the north-east of the country around Sumy.
Russian forces were bombarding Kharkiv, and they had taken territory in the east and south as far as Kherson, and surrounded the port city of Mariupol.
But, they hit very strong Ukrainian resistance almost everywhere and faced serious logistical problems with poorly motivated Russian troops suffering shortages of food, water and ammunition.
Ukrainian forces were also quick to deploy Western supplied arms such as the Nlaw anti-tank system, which proved highly effective against the Russian advance.
More Western arms followed and by October the picture had changed dramatically - having failed to take Kyiv, Russia had withdrawn completely from the north.
Ukraine had its first major success, pushing Russia back from Kharkiv, and counter-attacking around Kherson.
One year since the invasion, Ukraine is in control of Kherson and largely containing, for now, the Russian advance in the east.
By David Brown, Bella Hurrell, Dominic Bailey, Mike Hills, Lucy Rodgers, Paul Sargeant, Alison Trowsdale, Tural Ahmedzade, Mark Bryson, Zoe Bartholomew, Sean Willmott, Sana Dionysiou, Joy Roxas, Gerry Fletcher, Jana Tauschinsk, Debie Loizou, Simon Martin and Prina Shah.By David Brown, Bella Hurrell, Dominic Bailey, Mike Hills, Lucy Rodgers, Paul Sargeant, Alison Trowsdale, Tural Ahmedzade, Mark Bryson, Zoe Bartholomew, Sean Willmott, Sana Dionysiou, Joy Roxas, Gerry Fletcher, Jana Tauschinsk, Debie Loizou, Simon Martin and Prina Shah.
About these mapsAbout these maps
To indicate which parts of Ukraine are under control by Russian troops we are using daily assessments published by the Institute for the Study of War with the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project.To indicate which parts of Ukraine are under control by Russian troops we are using daily assessments published by the Institute for the Study of War with the American Enterprise Institute's Critical Threats Project.
To show key areas where advances are taking place we are also using daily updates from the UK Ministry of Defence and BBC research.To show key areas where advances are taking place we are also using daily updates from the UK Ministry of Defence and BBC research.
The situation in Ukraine is fast moving and it is likely there will be times when there have been changes not reflected in the maps.The situation in Ukraine is fast moving and it is likely there will be times when there have been changes not reflected in the maps.
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