Ukraine says it retook several towns as it seeks to relieve hard-pressed cities.

Ukrainian troops have regained control of the northeastern town of Trostianets, a local official said, potentially marking a significant breakthrough for Ukraine’s counteroffensive that punches a hole in Russia’s effort to encircle Ukrainian cites.

The head of the Sumy regional military administration, Dmytro Zhyvytsky, announced the recapture of Trostianets and another town, Boromlia, in a statement posted on Sunday on Telegram, the messaging app.

If confirmed, the freeing of the towns from Russian control would bring Ukrainian troops within 30 miles of the provincial capital of Sumy, which is surrounded by Russian forces.

The Ukrainian military also announced that its forces had taken control of two towns close to the northeastern city of Kharkiv.

The gains come after Ukraine announced a series of counterattacks in several regions, aimed at breaking Russian forces’ stranglehold on besieged cities. Read more

@nytimes