Ukraine's fired army chief: We took back 700 km² this year

Ukraine’s former top general, dismissed from his post, has left with a bold claim: he is handing his successor an army that is still on the offensive. In a statement, the outgoing commander said Ukrainian forces have liberated 700 square kilometers of territory so far this year. “I said it before, and I repeat it today: my work is war. Posts change, but this principle does not,” he said. “In whatever status I am, I will serve Ukraine until Victory.” The general did not provide a detailed breakdown of the liberated areas. His departure comes as the war enters a new phase, with both sides preparing for expected spring offensives. The claim of 700 km² suggests continued, if slow, Ukrainian progress amid a grinding conflict.