Ukraine claims recapture of land held by Russia since 2014

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reports gains in Kyiv's counter-offensive

Ukrainian troops near the front line in Donetsk where Kyiv is looking to recapture territory. Reuters

Ukraine claims to have retaken land in its counter-offensive against Russia that pro-Kremlin forces had held since 2014.

The capture of territory near Krasnohorivka was announced by Ukrainian brigadier general Oleksandr Tarnavskyi.

Ukrainian defence chiefs said Russia had shelled the area amid fighting in the eastern Donetsk region.

The area is close to the “line of control” that used to separate Kyiv’s forces from pro-Russian separatists who entered Ukraine in 2014.

Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022 moved the battle lines, but Ukraine is aiming to retake land beyond what it held at that time.

In a regular intelligence briefing, Britain’s Defence Ministry supported the claim that Ukrainian forces had made “small advances” near Krasnohorivka.

The ministry said it was “one of the first instances” that Ukrainian forces had “highly likely recaptured an area of territory occupied by Russia since 2014”.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an overnight address that his troops had “advanced in all directions”.

“This is a happy day,” he said after visiting troops near the front line.

Senior Ukrainian officials have said the recent political crisis in Russia could give Kyiv’s forces an opening on the battlefield.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said “devastating consequences” had been avoided after a mutiny by Wagner mercenaries was called off before it reached Moscow.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Ukrainian commanders near the front line on Monday. EPA

But he confirmed that Russian pilots had been killed during the aborted mutiny led by Wagner chief and former Kremlin confidant Yevgeny Prigozhin, who has agreed to withdraw to Belarus.

Speaking publicly again later on Tuesday, for the third time in 24 hours, Mr Putin thanked the FSB and his troops for their efforts during the "mutiny".

He said: "We understood what was happening and what would have happened had you not averted this mutiny."

He said "always and everywhere" following armed uprisings "complete chaos and civil war" ensues.

"So that's what you averted. That's what you prevented. That was your role," he said, adding, for that "I owe you a debt of gratitude".

Mr Prigozhin, in his first public comments since the mutiny, said he had led his fighters into Russia “as a demonstration of protest, not to overthrow the government of the country”.

The audio message did not reveal his whereabouts and the White House said it could not confirm whether Mr Prigozhin was in Belarus.

Reports on Tuesday suggested an aircraft linked to Mr Prigozhin had left Russia for Belarus but it was not clear whether he was on board.

Russia on Monday released footage of Defence Minister Sergey Shoigu meeting troops, appearing to confirm that he was still in charge despite being a focus of Mr Prigozhin’s anger with the leadership in Moscow.

Wagner forces boosted Russia’s manpower in the brutal fight for Ukraine’s Bakhmut, but Mr Prigozhin accused Moscow repeatedly and in increasingly vociferous terms of failing to equip his men.