Ukrainian forces advance in south, capture 12 settlements - army chief

Ukrainian forces have advanced seven km (4.3 miles)in two directions in the south and captured 12 new settlements in the last 24 hours, Ukrainian army chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi said on Thursday.

"We can't yet confirm or deny the information of the so-called withdrawal of Russian occupation troops from Kherson. We continue to conduct the offensive operation in line with our plan," he wrote in a post on Telegram.