Ukraine war - live: Zelensky praises troops on visit to newly liberated city

Russia ‘almost certainly’ buying weapons from Iran and North Korea, says MoD

Ukrainian troops enter Sviatohirsk in Donetsk Oblast after recapturing town

Volodymyr Zelensky has thanked his troops on a visit to a newly captured city in the northeast province of Kharkiv.

On Wednesday, the Ukrainian president travelled to Izium to attend a flag-raising ceremony.

The now devastated city was used by the Russians as a key supply hub, before it was liberated late last week by the Ukrainian army as part of the significant advance it has made in northeast Ukraine.

In total, Kyiv is believed to have retaken about 8,000 square kilometres in the region in under a week.

The president said the presence of Ukraine’s forces had breathed life back into places like Izium.

“I see how people meet them, in what a sensitive moment. It means that with our army, the life comes back,” he said.

In other developments, the Kremlin is “almost certainly” sourcing weapons from Iran and North Korea as it struggles with supply shortages, the British Ministry of Defence (MoD).

Defence experts believe the Russian army has been forced to buy from the pariah states in part because of the impact of Western sanctions.

Key points

• Zelensky visits newly recaptured town of Izium
• Russia ‘almost certainly’ importing weapons from Iran and North Korea, says MoD
• Accounts of Russian torture emerge from area liberated by Ukraine
• ‘About 150,000 people liberated in Balakliia’
• In recaptured Ukraine town, locals sob with relief, relate harrowing accounts
• ‘Ukraine has made progress but still a long haul,’ says Biden

[14 September 2022 11:20 · Rory Sullivan]

Ukraine war in photos

A lightning Ukrainian counterattack has seen Russian troops flee from their positions in Kharkiv province.

Here are some images from territory Ukraine has recaptured:

A destroyed vehicle near the town of Izium, which was recently liberated by the Ukrainian army. (via REUTERS)

Russian artillery shells captured by Ukraine in Kharkiv province. (via REUTERS)

Ukrainian soldiers in Izium, Kharkiv, on 13 September, 2022. (AP)

[14 September 2022 11:40 · Rory Sullivan]

Retreating Russian troops in Kharkiv accused of torture by Ukrainians

Russian troops have been accused of torturing Ukrainians in Kharkiv provinces, swathes of which have recently been retaken by Kyiv.

David Harding reports:

[14 September 2022 12:00 · Rory Sullivan]

Zelensky visits newly recaptured town of Izium

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has visited the newly recaptured town of Izium in northeast Ukraine.

His troops took over the town a few days ago after pushing back the Russian army.

“The president of Ukraine thanked the soldiers for liberating Ukrainian lands, and solemnly raised the Ukrainian flag over the city council,” the 25th Separate Airborne Sicheslav Brigade said on Facebook.

[14 September 2022 12:20 · Rory Sullivan]

Zelensky thanks troops in Kharkiv region

Volodymyr Zelensky visited Izium on 14 September, 2022. (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER)

The Ukrainian flag has been raised over the de-occupied city. (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER)

Ukrainian troops take part in the flag raising ceremony. (UKRAINIAN PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SER)

[14 September 2022 12:40 · Rory Sullivan]

India and France call for ‘dialogue and diplomacy’ over Ukraine

India and France have repeated calls for Ukraine and Russia to return to the negotiating table.

“There should be a return to dialogue and diplomacy,” India’s foreign minister, S. Jaishankar, said after meeting his French counterpart.

[14 September 2022 13:00 · Rory Sullivan]

Kremlin silent on potential US-Russia prisoner swap

The Kremlin has refused to comment on reports that the US is contemplating a potential prisoner swap with Russia.

Bill Richardson, a former US ambassador to the United Nations, is thought to have travelled to Moscow for this purpose.

“There were no meetings at the Kremlin,” Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said. “I have nothing to tell you on this subject.”

[14 September 2022 13:20 · Rory Sullivan]

‘Show resolve’ by introducing more Russian sanctions, says von der Leyen

Ursula von der Leyen has called on the EU to introduce more sanctions against Russia.

“This is the time for us to show resolve, not appeasement,” she said in a speech on Wednesday.

[14 September 2022 13:45 · Rory Sullivan]

‘They were in a sad state’: Ukraine forces find Russians in retreat

Kim Sengupta reports from Kyiv:

[14 September 2022 14:10 · Rory Sullivan]

Nearly 5,000 Ukrainian troops receive UK training

Almost 5,000 Ukrainian troops have now completed training in the UK, Ukraine’s army has said.

The soldiers have been taught how best to conduct offensive and defensive actions in urbanised areas.

[14 September 2022 14:35 · Rory Sullivan]

Zelensky speaks at flag-raising ceremony in Izium

As a Ukrainian flag was raised in the newly recaptured city of Izium on Wednesday, Volodymyr Zelensky said the following:

“It is probably possible to temporarily occupy the territory of our state. But it is definitely impossible to occupy our people, the Ukrainian people.

“Before, when we looked up, we always looked for the blue sky, the sun. And today we, and especially the people in the temporarily occupied territories, looking up, are looking for only one thing - the flag of our state. This means the heroes are here. This means the enemy is gone, they have fled.”