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According to Russia's Defense Ministry, Russian troops have pulled out of the strategic city, fearing encirclement. Ukrainian President's Office Head Andriy Yermak on Oct. 1 published a video of Ukrainian soldiers standing at the entrance to Lyman, holding a Ukrainian flag.
Russian troops have been occupying Lyman since May.
Russian dictator Vladimir Putin announced that Russia is annexing Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson oblasts on Sept. 30. Russian troops retreated less than 24 hours after the announcement.