Ukraine drives Russian troops away

Ukraine's military has made significant advances in its counteroffensive over the past days, driving back Russian forces from northeastern towns occupied since the early weeks of the war.

Hi, it's Julius with an update on Ukraine. 

On Monday, Ukraine's military reclaimed several more northeastern villages and forced the retreat of overwhelmed Russian troops from the region.

A Russian-installed official in the Kharkiv region said Ukrainian forces outnumbered Russian troops by 8-to-1 and had broken through to the Russian border.

Kyiv's momentum continued Tuesday, when it announced it had downed one of Russia's Iran-built drones the military encountered near Kupiansk in Kharkiv province, where Ukraine troops have made a push in recent days into the strategically important city of Izyum.

In Moscow, the Russian Defense Ministry tried to tamp down emerging unrest over the war's progress, saying teams of attack helicopters are making more than five combat sorties every day to disrupt the counteroffensive near Izyum. Russian forces also shelled the center of Kharkiv, knocking out power and water in some areas of the city, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said.

Russia has withdrawn many troops from the province but claims this was a planned regrouping to increase efforts on the Donetsk front in the south.

• Ukraine's military has liberated more than 2,300 square miles in the east and south in September, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.
• Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, asked about simmering criticism in Russia of the war effort, said it is permissible by law but with limits.
• Ukraine and Russia appear interested in creating a security protection zone around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said.