Russia’s Defense Ministry on Sunday morning announced that it has resolved to pull back troops from two areas in Ukraine’s eastern Kharkiv region where a Ukrainian counter-offensive has made tremendous advances in the past week.
Africa Daily News, New York reports that the news is coming days after of apparent advances by Ukraine south of Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, in what could become the biggest battlefield success for Ukrainian forces since they thwarted a Russian attempt to seize the capital of Kyiv at the start of the almost seven-months war.
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Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Saturday that troops would be regrouped from the Balakliya and Izyum areas to Ukraine’s tern Donetsk region. Izyum was a major base for Russian forces in the Kharkiv region and earlier this week social media videos showed residents of Balakliya joyfully cheering as Ukrainian troops moved in.
Meanwhile, President Putin has offered his ‘sincerest congratulations’ to Britain’s King Charles III after he was officially proclaimed the new monarch at a pomp-filled ceremony in London on Saturday.
Putin in a telegram addressed to the new king which was obtained by Africa Today News, New York, said; ‘Please receive my sincerest congratulations on your accession to the throne, I wish Your Majesty success, robust health, and above all the best.’
The Kremlin went on to state that the Russian federation wishes the new Monarch the very best on the throne.
Africa Daily News, New York had earlier reported that King Charles III was officially announced as Britain’s monarch Saturday, in a pomp-filled ceremony steeped in ancient tradition and political symbolism — and, for the first time, broadcast live.
Charles automatically became king when his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, died on Thursday, but the accession ceremony is a key constitutional and ceremonial step in introducing the new monarch to the country.
