With Ukrainians now having reached the city of Kupiansk, where rail lines linking Russia to eastern Ukraine converge, the advance had penetrated all the way to Moscow's main logistics route, potentially trapping thousands of Russian troops.
Natalia Popova, adviser to the head of the Kharkiv regional council, shared photos on Facebook of troops holding up a Ukrainian flag in front of Kupiansk city hall. A Russian flag lay at their feet. "Kupiansk is Ukraine. Glory to the armed forces of Ukraine," she wrote.
In Hrakove, one of dozens of recaptured villages, Reuters saw burnt out vehicles bearing the "Z" symbol of Russia's invasion, and piles of rubbish and ammunition in positions the Russians had abandoned in evident haste.
Ukraine troops reach railway hub as breakthrough threatens to turn into rout
Large thread with many posts including from russian telegram sources detailing the breaking news of UKR forces capturing Kupiansk and now (just within the last few hours) Izium. https://twitter.com/BarracudaVol1/status/1568563801863094272