While the Kremlin is celebrating the annexation of Donbass, the Ukrainians have scored a major military success there. Russian troops have given up the city of Liman, which has been under siege for weeks. They probably also suffered heavy casualties.
In northern Donbass, including cities like Liman or Rubishne in this picture, Russian positions are increasingly coming under fire.
Since the Russian occupying forces were driven out of parts of Kharkiv province three weeks ago, the fighting in north-eastern Ukraine has not made any major headlines. Nevertheless, this phase was important for both warring parties. Ukrainian forces faced a new challenge after capturing the garrison town of Izyum and the transport hub of Kupyansk. It was a matter of using the momentum and hitting the fleeing Russians before they received reinforcements and could reorganize.