Before launching the offensive, Ukraine strategically used Western-made weapons, including High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, against the front-line positions and supply lines of the Russian forces.
Then in a perfectly executed counterattack, Ukraine reclaimed key cities that were occupied by Russia. And within two days Ukrainian forces pushed Russia’s military out of strategic holdouts in the east.
The quick fall of Moscow’s occupying force in Izyum and 30 other towns and villages surprised Russia. And it was perhaps its worst military defeat since its troops were forced back from Kyiv in March.
Unprecedented criticism of Russia
In the meantime, the Russian military made a surprise announcement Saturday that it was “regrouping” its forces. And moving them south from Kharkiv to the Donetsk region to refocus its military efforts there.
The Kremlin-appointed leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, conceded in an 11-minute-long audio message that the campaign had been disrupted.
