Russia ‘suffered heavy losses and evacuating wounded’ from Kherson and Luhansk, Ukraine claims

Russian troops suffered heavy losses and are trying to evacuate their wounded along with equipment from the southern region of Kherson, according to reports.

Vladimir Putin’s men are struggling to control territory amid a ferocious advance by Ukraine’s military.

The Russians were seen evacuating around 150 wounded soldiers in Kherson and Luhansk, using the nearest crossings across the Dnipro River.

After suffering a string of major defeats on the battlefield in recent weeks, the Kremlin has vowed to defend itself with all means available - not ruling out the use of its nuclear weapons.

Moscow is also pushing ahead with its annexation of four of Ukraine’s regions.

However, it does not fully control any of them and Ukrainian troops have been making rapid advances in the Kherson region in recent days.

President Volodymyr Zelensky’s military officials said on Wednesday before news three more settlements were liberated: “In particular, the enemy moved up to 150 wounded servicemen and about 50 units of damaged military equipment to Vesele settlement, near Kakhovka hydroelectric power station.”

Meanwhile, in the north east of the country, the Ukrainian army said Russians took further heavy casualties.

“Due to the large number of wounded and overload of local medical institutions, the enemy has equipped and is using a school as a military hospital,” a General Staff spokesman told CNN.

“According to preliminary information, there are up to 200 wounded servicemen there.”

It is also claimed that Russia is recruiting more than 650 prisoners from a high-security jail in Stavropol Krai.