Zelensky applauds the "wonderful news" of the settlements being taken back from Russia

Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, announced that he had "excellent news," saying that numerous Russian settlements had been retaken. Days of speculation about a potential victory in the eastern Kharkiv region have gone by without any official Ukrainian response. Since "now is not the time to name," Mr. Zelensky declined to say which locations had been retaken. Separately, US authorities claimed that Ukraine was defeating Russian soldiers with "modest but significant progress."
President Zelensky stated there was "positive news" regarding the rumored victory of Ukrainian military in his evening video message to Ukrainians. He mentioned specific military units and expressed his admiration for their valor in battle, saying, "I think every citizen feels proud of our troops."
But he added: "Naming the settlements where the Ukrainian flag returns is not the right time right now." In recent weeks, Ukraine has increased operational security while providing few specifics about a widely anticipated counteroffensive in the east and south. South-east of Kharkiv, in the direction of the eastern province of Donetsk, where Russia has maintained a sizable military presence since the conflict started six months ago, Ukrainian soldiers have launched an offensive. According to some accounts, Ukrainian soldiers may be a few dozen kilometers away from Izyum, a key supply hub for Russian military equipment.

Colin Kahl, the Under-Secretary of Defense for Policy, claimed that Ukrainian soldiers were sometimes more effective than Russian forces when speaking at a gathering in the United States. "It's still early. I believe that the Ukrainians are moving forward, however slowly. We'll also watch how things turn out "Reuters news agency reported what he said. However, I firmly believe that things are currently going more favorably for the Ukrainian side in the south than they are on the Russian side. But the issue is still delicate.
The Ukrainian General Staff reported that it had "repelled all Russian attacks" in the Kharkiv and Donetsk regions on Wednesday, but that both sides had continued to trade artillery and airstrikes, which had damaged a dozen distinct locations.