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WASHINGTON, Sept 12 (Portal) – Russia has largely ceded its gains near Kharkiv and many of the retreating Russian soldiers have left Ukraine and crossed the border back into Russia, a senior US military official said on Monday .
As it withdraws, the United States has seen anecdotal reports of Russian forces leaving equipment behind, “which may indicate Russia’s disorganized command and control,” the US military official said on condition of anonymity.
The comments to Pentagon reporters followed a weekend of quick wins for Ukraine’s armed forces. Ukraine’s General Staff said its soldiers recaptured more than 20 towns and villages in the past day alone, as Ukrainian forces pushed deeper into areas captured by fleeing Russian troops.
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The US military official was optimistic but cautious when describing Ukraine’s progress.
“It’s clear they’re fighting hard,” the official said, citing progress in the south and east in retaking territory.
Ukraine said it repelled attempted Russian advances in two key areas of Donetsk region – the town of Bakhmut and Maiorsk near the coal town of Horlivka, the general staff said in an evening update.
But the senior US military official said Russia is still concentrating its firepower on Bakhmut.
“We continue to see heavy use of artillery and airstrikes,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Vitaly Ganchev, the Russian-installed head of the Moscow occupation administration in what is left of Russian-occupied territory in the Kharkiv region, acknowledged that Ukrainian forces had broken through to the border.
The official did not say how many withdrawing Russian forces left Ukrainian territory and headed for Russia, but described a significant withdrawal.
“On the ground near Kharkiv, we assume that the Russian forces have largely ceded their gains to the Ukrainians and retreated north and east. Many of these forces have moved across the border into Russia,” the official said.
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Reporting by Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali; Edited by Jonathan Oatis and Lisa Shumaker
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Idrees Ali