Zelenskiy compares Izium to Bucha in surprise visit to the recaptured city

Zelenskiy made a surprise visit to the recently recaptured north-eastern Ukrainian city of Izium on Wednesday. The city had been occupied by Russian forces early on in the conflict and was retaken in a stunning counter-offensive which Ukraine launched earlier this month. Commenting on the extensive damage to civilian infrastructure Zelenskiy said ’the view is very shocking, but it’s not a shock for me, because we began to see the same pictures from Bucha.’ Izium is a strategic city just over 120km south of the city of Kharkiv, the country’s second largest city. During his tour of the recently captured towns Zelenskiy also visit Balakliia which Ukraine took control of late last week where he presented medals to members of Ukraine’s armed forces. Zelenskiy said about 8,000 sq km had been cleared of Russian forces in the Kharkiv Oblast. Speaking in Mexico City on Tuesday, secretary of state, Antony Blinken welcomed the Ukrainian advance, but said it was ’still too early to te