A turning point in the Ukraine war?

The Kremlin openly recognized a defeat for the first time in the midst of a successful Ukrainian military counteroffensive that has stirred dissent in Russia and prompted its troops to retreat. 

It's Julius with an update on Ukraine. 

On Wednesday military experts admitted defeat in the Kharkiv region on Russian TV, as Ukrainian forces continued a push that has driven occupying troops out of about 300 northeastern cities and towns.

Russia's setbacks have given a rise to objections at home. Ramzan Kadyrov, the Moscow-backed leader of the Russian region of Chechnya, criticized the war strategy. 

"Mistakes were made,” Kadyrov said in a Telegram post, pointing a finger at the leadership of the country and the Ministry of Defense. 

Ukraine's counteroffensive resumed Thursday, pushing toward Russian villages bordering the Kharkiv region. 

The governor of Russia's Belgorod region said residents were wounded when Ukraine shells slammed into one border village.

The Ukraine Defense Ministry said members of fleeing Russian troops are massing at the Belgorod border, where other Russian troops are keeping them from crossing over.

As Ukraine builds momentum, experts are expressing cautious optimism. John Kirby, the National Security Council's coordinator for strategic communications at the White House, stressed that the war was unpredictable.

“What you’re seeing is certainly a shift in momentum for the Ukrainian armed forces, particularly in the north," Kirby said at a briefing this week. 

• Russian leader Vladimir Putin pitched his war and blasted the West in a meeting Thursday with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
• There have been mixed results for Ukrainians in battles to liberate Luhansk, with Russian forces continuing to heavily shell their counterparts in the region, knocking down internet service.