Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has lauded the "very promising" gains achieved by Kyiv's armed forces in recent days, with counterattacking troops driving behind Russian lines in the northeast of the country while also making steady progress in the south.
Speaking at the Yalta European Strategy (YES) summit—organized by the Victor Pinchuk Foundation—on Saturday, the prime minister celebrated the most recent news from the front while stressing Kyiv's larger goal of liberating all territory occupied since 2014.
"That is just an expected result in this bloody aggression, this terrorist attack, on the part of Russia," Shmyhal said of the Ukrainian advances over the past 48 hours.
"I would like to emphasize the morale of our soldiers that are advancing now," the prime minister said. "That is possible because of our partners' support," he added, noting the large amount of weapons being donated by NATO nations that are helping turn the tide of Russia's invasion.
Reports indicate that long-range artillery, including the U.S.-made M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) and anti-radiation air-to-ground missiles, have been particularly influential on the battlefields of southern and eastern Ukraine.
Shmyhal mentioned HIMARS, noting it is now a "household name" in Ukraine thanks to its well-publicized potency and devastating impact on Russian military positions, supply areas, and logistics hubs.
The YES meeting in central Kyiv was abuzz with news of the Ukrainian gains on Friday and Saturday. Ukrainian government and military officials were more guarded, mentioning developments from the front briefly if at all.
Mykhailo Podolyak, a top adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, wrote on Twitter on Saturday afternoon: "'Russian Spring'? No... A fantastic Ukrainian autumn—the beginning of the end of the Russian barbaric Empire."
"This is the beginning, a very promising one," Shmyhal told attendees when asked about the latest developments. "This news should not make us complacent," the prime minister said. "We have to realize the price. The price is very high."
"This demonstrates, at least, our will and a way to win in this war," he said. "It is a great message to our partners as well."
Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba later echoed Shmyhal's acknowledgment of the cost of Ukrainian success. "Every step forward comes with a price," Kuleba said, also stressing that Kyiv would push for full liberation of its territory.
Ukraine's unexpected advance in northeastern Kharkiv Oblast has seen its troops drive more than 50 kilometers (31 miles) in just three days.
Advanced units reportedly reached the key hubs of Kupiansk, Izyum, and Lyman, cutting the supply lines of Russian troop groupings in the wider area. Reports from Russian military bloggers suggest that occupying units are hastily retreating from multiple positions close to the front.
Zelensky said on Friday that his troops had liberated more than 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) of occupied territory, and more than 30 settlements. These numbers expanded by an unknown amount on Saturday.
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