Russia is promising to reoccupy Ukraine’s recently liberated areas in Kyiv’s swift counteroffensive, claiming they will belong to Russia “forever.”

Kremlin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was referring to eastern regions of Ukraine that Moscow has annexed – in a move that has been branded illegal by most other countries – and which are, at least partially, under the control of Ukrainian troops following embarrassing battlefield defeats and retreats.

“There is no contradiction here,” Mr Peskov explained.

He said even though Russian troops had withdrawn from some areas at the moment, those regions would eventually be reconquered.

“They will be with Russia forever; they will be retaken,” Mr Peskov told reporters on Wednesday, according to Russian state news agencies. “I repeat once again: certain territories will be retaken, and we will continue consultations with the populations that will express the wish to live in Russia.”

Hours earlier, President Vladimir Putin signed a law passed this week by lawmakers that annexes four eastern and southern Ukrainian regions. The legislation finalises – under Russian law – the accession of Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhya, all of which are still claimed by Ukraine.

The move makes the regions Russian territory in the eyes of Moscow and raises the risk that it could interpret Ukraine’s accelerating counteroffensive as an attack on Russian territory.

Kyiv has vowed to free all of its territory occupied by Russia.

The Ukrainian army said on Wednesday it had seized more localities in the south of the country after also making territorial gains on Tuesday in Kherson.

Parts of Donetsk and Luhansk have been controlled by groups claiming loyalty to Russia since 2014. Russia also annexed Crimea in 2014.

Russia began its invasion of Ukraine in February, arguing that it was necessary to demilitarise the country and remove Nazi elements from its leadership.

After an initial push deep into Ukraine, it has largely been confined to the east but is still in control of about 16 per cent of Ukrainian territory.

(NAN)