Ukrainian forces have reportedly retaken Irpin, a suburban city near the nation's capital of Kyiv, the city's mayor said in a Facebook video Monday.
"Our Irpin has been released from Moscow filth!!! Glory to Ukraine! Glory to her defenders! Eternal memory to the fallen heroes!" Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn wrote in a translated caption for the video.
Markushyn also informed CNN of the purported reclaiming of the city, though the claim has not been independently verified. Newsweek has reached out to Ukraine's Foreign Ministry for confirmation and comment but did not hear back by publication time.
If the reports are true, freeing Irpin from Russian forces would be the latest victory for Ukraine in a conflict that has now resulted in nearly 3,000 civilian casualties. Ukrainian resistance has prevented Russia from successfully overtaking Kyiv in the weeks since the Russia-Ukraine war began, but the Ukrainian government said Monday that Russian forces had ratcheted up their attacks near the Ukrainian capital.
Markushyn told CNN that Irpin was freed "last night," likely meaning Sunday night local time, and now Ukrainian forces need to "clear the town totally."
"There are wounded Russian soldiers. They are offering to surrender or they will be destroyed," he said.
Markushyn added that Irpin is a "staging area for an attack" and that Ukrainian forces will next look to free the Ukrainian cities of Bucha, Vorzel and Hostomel.
