The Ukrainian counteroffensive continued in the Kharkiv region, with Ukrainian forces regaining most previously occupied territory, including the large logistical hubs of Kupiansk and Izium (The Guardian, 12 September 2022). These successes also allowed Ukrainian forces to retake ground in the Luhansk region, which Russian forces had fully occupied since July (ISW, 11 September 2022). Ukrainian counterattacks also continued in the Kherson region with no confirmed territorial gains. On 16 September, Ukrainian forces struck Russia’s occupation headquarters in Kherson during a meeting of Russian-appointed city and municipal heads (ISW, 16 September 2022).
Similar to Russia’s withdrawal from the northern regions in early April, the de-occupation of Kharkiv has revealed atrocities committed by Russian soldiers, including a mass grave with over 400 bodies near Izium and torture chambers across the region (The Guardian, 17 September 2022). Meanwhile, over 20 civilians were killed last week by Russian shelling and missile strikes in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Zaporizhia regions. Additionally, at least four civilians were killed and four were wounded in mine explosions in the Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, and Donetsk regions.
For more information, including previous infographics and an interactive dashboard, visit our Ukraine Crisis research hub.
