Izium left decimated as Ukraine retakes city from Russian forces

Izium, a city in Ukraine’s Kharkiv Oblast, has been left decimated after the withdrawal of Russian troops.

Russian forces left the city last week as Ukrainian soldiers continue in an advance that has reclaimed large sections of territory.

Ukraine has so far recaptured 8,000 sq km of territory, according to president Volodymyr Zelensky.

Footage shows residents reflecting on the Russian troops’ withdrawal.

“There is no electricity, no water, no gas. Once again there were these shellings at the beginning of September. We thought that everything has ended but everything was whistling,” Natalia Pankratova, a 50-year-old resident said.

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