After a successful counterattack in the eastern Kharkiv region, Ukraine is now planning to liberate other major cities. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced new attacks on the areas occupied by Russian forces. These include the cities of Kherson, Mariupol and Melitopol, Zelensky said in his daily video message.
“It may seem that after a series of victories there was silence, but there was no silence,” said Zelensky. Ukraine is busy preparing for the next attack. The goal is to liberate the cities of Kherson, Mariupol and Melitopol.
Ukraine will no longer focus solely on liberating the areas captured by Russian forces after the February invasion. Zelensky said that the areas in the east of the country under the control of Russia’s Severatis and cities in Crimea should also be restored. “Because all of Ukraine should be free,” Zelensky said Sunday evening. Russia annexed Crimea in 2014.
Melitopol is of strategic importance for the liberation of Crimea. The southern city is also referred to as the “Crimean Gate”.
After invading Ukraine on February 24, Russia seized much of the land in the south and east of the country. Moscow still occupies about 125,000 square kilometers. This accounts for about a fifth of the area of Ukraine, including the Crimea.
