Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Russia's hasty retreat from Kharkiv sparks rift in leadership

"They have made mistakes and I think they will draw the necessary conclusions," Kadyrov said. "If they don't make changes in the strategy of conducting the special military operation in the next day or two, I will be forced to contact the leadership of the Defense Ministry and the leadership of the country to explain the real situation on the ground.

In a sign of potential rift in the Russian leadership, Ramzan Kadyrov, the Kremlin-backed leader of Chechnya, said that the retreat from the Kharkiv region resulted from the Russian military leadership's blunders.

Ukrainian forces kept pushing north in the Kharkiv region and advancing to the south and east of the country after the swift fall of Russia's main bastion in the northeast, Ukraine's army chief said on Sunday.

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Although condemning the punishing economic sanctions against Russia, Beijing has not provided military or financial support to Moscow that could trigger legal action from Washington against its companies.

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Ukraine will look into whether it can urgently supply neighbouring Poland with 100,000 tonnes of thermal coal to help it through the winter, Zelenskiy said.

Zelenskiy said he told French President Emmanuel Macron about the situation at the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, calling for it to be "demilitarized".

Ukrainian troops captured the city of Kupiansk, the sole railway hub supplying Russia's front line across northeastern Ukraine, cutting thousands of Russian troops off from supplies.

Russia's defence ministry ordered troops to leave the area around the city of Izium in Kharkiv province, saying they would be sent to reinforce operations elsewhere in neighbouring Donetsk, TASS said.

Ukrainian forces established full control over the city of Balakliia, said Deputy Defence Minister Hanna Malyar.

Ukraine's counteroffensive this month has liberated around 2,000 square km (700 square miles) of territory, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

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Kyiv on Wednesday called for residents of Russian-occupied areas around the plant, Europe's largest, to evacuate for their own safety.

Operation of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine fully stopped: Energoatom