Inside the Russian occupied territories of Ukraine | Ukraine latest

Russian forces in Ukraine have so far only captured one major city - Kherson. DW's Nick Connolly has been in touch with a local, who wants to be known as James, who has been in Kherson since the beginning of the war and the start of the Russian occupation.

Ukrainian troops have regained full control of the entire territory in the Kyiv region, according to Ukrainian Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Malyar. "The whole Kyiv region is liberated from the invader," she said in a Facebook post.

French news agency AFP has reported that the bodies of at least 20 men dressed in civilian clothing have been found lying in a street of a retaken town near Kyiv. According to the agency one of the men's hands were tied behind his back. The discovery was made in the town of Bucha, which was recently retaken after Russian troops withdrew. The cause of death of those found was not clear, although at least one of those found had a head wound.

Ukrainian presidential advisor Oleksiy Arestovych said on national television Saturday that heavy battles are expected in the east and south of the country as well as in the besieged city of Mariupol. Arestovych also said Ukraine had retaken 30 towns in the Kyiv region from Russian forces and was holding the line against Russia in the east. "Let us have no illusions," he said.

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