Irpin, Bucha, Gostomel and the whole Kyiv region liberated: Ukraine

Amid the fighting in Ukraine, the country's defence minister Ganna Maliar said Ukraine has regained control of "the whole Kyiv region".

"Irpin, Bucha, Gostomel and the whole Kyiv region were liberated from the invader," Maliar said even as the towns faced heavy destruction due to continued Russian shelling.

The mayor of Bucha said at least 280 people were buried in mass graves as reports claimed there were heavily mined areas in Irpin.

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Ukraine had said earlier that Russian forces were steadily withdrawing from northern areas however they had begun to focus their attentionon the east and south of the country.

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Meanwhile, Ukraine's negotiator David Arakhamia said Russia had "verbally" agreed to Ukraine's proposals however he added that there is"no official confirmation in writing".

Russian and Ukrainian negotiators had met earlier this week in Istanbul as Russia assured its forces willwithdraw from the Kyiv region to ensure a conducive atmosphere for the dialogue process even as Turkey's President Erdogan called both sides to stay engaged in talks.

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Arakhamia added that a meeting between Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir could likely take place either in Ankara or Istanbul.

Ukrainian presidential adviserMykhaylo Podolyak had said earlier that Russian forces were in "rapid retreat" from the Kyiv and Chernigiv regions.

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"It is completely clear that Russia is prioritising a different tactic: falling back on the east and south," Podolyak added even as President Zelensky informed that "humanitarian corridors" were open in Donetsk, Lugansk and Zaporizhzhia.

Ukraine's president said 6,266 people were rescued including 3,071 from Mariupol.

(With inputs from Agencies)