Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih now in Ukraine's control, says Zelenskyy

Russia withdrew its troops from the southern Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, handing Kyiv a rare battlefield victory

Russia has withdrawn its troops from the southern Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, handing Kyiv a rare battlefield victory in a conflict that has dragged on for more than eight months. “The enemy is fleeing. They are abandoning their positions and fleeing,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a video address posted on Telegram late on Sunday.

The withdrawal from Kryvyi Rih, a city of about 600,000 people, is a significant setback for Russia, which has been struggling to make headway in the east and south of Ukraine in recent weeks. The city is located in the Kryvoriz'kyi district, which is one of the most heavily industrialized regions of Ukraine and is home to a number of important factories and mines.

The Russian withdrawal from Kryvyi Rih comes as Ukraine is preparing to launch a major counteroffensive in the east of the country. Ukrainian forces have been making steady progress in the east in recent weeks, and they are now believed to be within striking distance of the city of Kherson, which is one of the largest cities in southern Ukraine and has been occupied by Russian forces since the early days of the war.