Russia admits it abandoned the village of Robotyne in Ukraine

(Patria) - A Russian official has admitted that its forces have abandoned the Ukrainian village of Robotyne, more than a week after Kyiv announced its recapture, Reuters reported.

Yevgeny Balitsky, the highest-ranking official in the Zaporizhzhia region appointed by Moscow, said in a televised interview that the Russian army had withdrawn for tactical reasons.

“The Russian army has left, tactically left, this settlement because staying in an open area when there is no way to dig in completely... generally makes no sense. Therefore, the Russian army has moved to the hills,” he said.

Russia had not previously acknowledged the loss of Robotyne, the recapture of which Ukraine announced on August 28.

In its daily report on Tuesday, the Russian Ministry of Defense stated that its forces had repelled two Ukrainian attacks near Robotyne.

More than 18 months after the Russian invasion, Ukraine says it is advancing and has breached the first Russian line of fortifications in several places along the front line, despite repeated statements from Moscow that Ukraine's three-month counteroffensive has been unsuccessful.