Ukraine war: Dead Russian troops found in 'Z' pattern as Kyiv's men advance

Ukraine war: Dead Russian troops found in 'Z' pattern as Kyiv's men advance
Ukraine war: Dead Russian troops found in 'Z' pattern as Kyiv's men advance

Ukraine has pushed Putin's army back from its second-largest city in a successful counter-attack as dead bodies of Russian soldiers were found arranged in a grisly Z pattern - the symbol of its invasion - in a recaptured village.

Kyiv's men stormed east out of Kharkiv, in north-eastern Ukraine, on Monday and managed to recapture the town of Staryi Saltiv around 30 miles away, according to  a Pentagon intelligence briefing. 

The move relieves pressure on Kharkiv, which Putin's men were intending to capture and which has been heavily shelled, while also threatening the main Russian supply route for forces currently fighting in nearby Donbas.

Journalists who ventured out of Kharkiv behind the advancing troops described the nearby countryside as an 'open-air graveyard', with the streets and fields littered with bodies lying unclaimed.

One of the most-gruesome sights was the discovery of what appeared to be Russian corpses arranged into a 'Z' pattern. The bodies of civilians were also found inside apartments and burned-out vehicles nearby. Both likely constitute war crimes.

The corpses of Russian soldiers lie arranged in a 'Z' pattern inside a village re-captured by Ukraine on Monday, on the outskirts of Kharkiv

The corpses of Russian soldiers lie arranged in a 'Z' pattern inside a village re-captured by Ukraine on Monday, on the outskirts of Kharkiv 

Russia and Ukraine are fighting for control of the eastern Donbas region, with battles ongoing around Kharkiv, Izyum and Popansa. Russian troops have now been moved out of Mariupol to join the fight, despite some Ukrainians still holding out there

Russia and Ukraine are fighting for control of the eastern Donbas region, with battles ongoing around Kharkiv, Izyum and Popansa. Russian troops have now been moved out of Mariupol to join the fight, despite some Ukrainians still holding out there

Ukrainian artillery strikes Russian armoured vehicles to the west of Izyum, where the bulk of Putin's forces are concentrated, on an unknown date

Ukrainian artillery strikes Russian armoured vehicles to the west of Izyum, where the bulk of Putin's forces are concentrated, on an unknown date

Russia has made small gains in an effort to take Donbas, the US has said, but is moving slowly because commanders are trying to conserve troops

Russia has made small gains in an effort to take Donbas, the US has said, but is moving slowly because commanders are trying to conserve troops

Meanwhile footage showed Ukrainian artillery destroying a column of Russian armoured vehicles further south, to the west of Izyum, as heavy fighting continues for control over Donbas.

The Ukrainian advance came on a day when little else changed along a frontline stretching hundreds of miles from Kharkiv in the north, to Mariupol in the south and further west towards the city of Mykolaiv.

American intelligence says Russia launched 30 missiles against targets inside Ukraine yesterday, while artillery continued to pound defensive positions in an attempt to soften them up for troops to attack.

Despite the heavy shelling, Russian gains have been 'tepid', the Pentagon said.

Moscow's forces made only minor advances around Popansa and further north in the town of Lyman, as they attempt to surround Ukrainian troops defending the cities of Severodonetsk, Lysychansk, Slovyansk and Kramatorsk.

Both sides are said to be suffering heavy casualties in the region, though Russia's losses are widely expected to be worse than Ukraine's.

Russia's slow advances are due to commanders trying to preserve troops after units were mauled in the failed effort to capture Kyiv, the US says. 

Meanwhile Ukrainian forces holed up inside the Azovstal steel works in Mariupol continue to hold out against Russian bombardment, which resumed Sunday night after a 48-hour ceasefire allowed 100 civilian to evacuate.

The body of a civilian lies covered in coats inside a house where they had been taking shelter - possibly for weeks - as fighting raged in the countryside, close to Kharkiv

The body of a civilian lies covered in coats inside a house where they had been taking shelter - possibly for weeks - as fighting raged in the countryside, close to Kharkiv

A burned-out car which contained the remains of two civilians was uncovered by Ukrainian forces pushing east out of the city of Kharkiv

A burned-out car which contained the remains of two civilians was uncovered by Ukrainian forces pushing east out of the city of Kharkiv

Sunlight shines through a building that has been partially destroyed by Russian shelling on areas close to the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv

Sunlight shines through a building that has been partially destroyed by Russian shelling on areas close to the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv

Around 12 battalions that had been committed to taking the city have now moved out and been sent to the frontline further north, to aid in the fight for Donbas.

Further to the west, fighting continues over territory between Mykolaiv and Kherson - the latter of which is the only major

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