Ukrainian forces recapture town of Irpin ahead of peace talk

• Irpin mayor says key Kyiv suburb liberated from Russian control

Ukraine's president said in his nightly video address that Ukrainian soldiers have retaken Irpin, a crucial Kyiv neighborhood, but warns that Russian forces still hold areas north of the capital.

Irpin Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn also said that Irpin, which had been a major hotspot of combat with Russian soldiers near the capital, had been liberated from Russian invaders. Residents, meanwhile, are still unable to return, according to Ukrinform.

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"We have good news today - Irpin has been liberated," Mayor Oleksandr Markushyn said in a video post on Telegram. "We understand that there will be more attacks on our town and we will defend it courageously."

Irpin drew widespread attention as photographs surfaced of a mother and her two children being shelled as they attempted to evacuate, their bodies laying on the street with baggage and a pet carrier nearby.

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Meanwhile, both sides' delegates will meet in Istanbul on Tuesday for the fourth round of peace negotiations aimed at ending President Putin's full-fledged invasion of Ukraine.

Picture Credits: The Guardian