 to the north of Kherson.Kyiv has also claimed big pushes on two fronts near Kherson, including advances of 7km in some places. Russia says it has started to exit the city - its top gain in the invasion - but the process could take weeks. Wednesday's announcement was viewed as a major setback for Moscow's war effort, though Ukrainian officials were sceptical - warning that the manoeuvre could be a trap. There was no immediate evidence of any mass-scale Russian withdrawal from Kherson.Ukraine's commander-in-chief Valeriy Zaluzhny said on Thursday that he could not confirm or deny the pull-out - but said his own forces had made important advances.Gen Zaluzhny said his soldiers had driven forward on two fronts on the western bank of the Dnipro river - an area of land which encompasses Kherson - taking control of 12 settlements.The 7km gains were made "during the past day", he said, as troops advanced along a northern-eastern axis and a separate western axis.Video footage - the location of which was verified by the Reuters news agency - showed soldiers being greeted by locals in a square, apparently after entering the town of Snihurivka. Snihurivka sits at a major road junction and is a rail hub for Mykolaiv region, which borders Kherson to the north and west.Later on Thursday, a video message posted by another military official said the Russian-occupied part of Mykolaiv region had been entirely cleared of Russian soldiers. In its own post, the regional administration did not provide immediate confirmation, but touted "lots of good news today". It promised aid would be distributed and homes reconnected with power. It was not possible for the BBC to independently verify the details of the latest territorial gains and losse){kind=link}
The Ukrainian army says it has made major gains over the last day around Kherson, after Russia said it was withdrawing from the southern city.
Ukrainian troops say they have taken back the key town of Snihurivka, 50km (30 miles) to the north of Kherson.
Kyiv has also claimed big pushes on two fronts near Kherson, including advances of 7km in some places.
Russia says it has started to exit the city – its top gain in the invasion – but the process could take weeks.
Wednesday’s announcement was viewed as a major setback for Moscow’s war effort, though Ukrainian officials were sceptical – warning that the manoeuvre could be a trap.