Russia sees "major defeat, Ukraine has "already won": Ex-military leader

Igor Girkin, a former commander of pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine, said on Saturday that Ukrainian troops have "already won" the war against Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of the Eastern European country on February 24, and was met with a strong defense effort from Ukraine, which was bolstered by military aid from its allies. Despite the vast size of Russia's military, Moscow has failed to achieve any major goals. Ukrainian forces launched counteroffensives in recent days in Kherson and the Kharkiv region in an effort to take back territory.

On Saturday, Ukrainian troops made significant gains near Kharkiv, the second-largest city in Ukraine—forcing Russia to retreat from key cities including Izium and Kupyansk, according to Radio Free Europe.