In Russian Border City, Pro-Kremlin Ukrainians, Soldiers Regroup After Retreat From Ukraine

BELGOROD, Russia — When Russians invaded northeast Ukraine’s Kharkiv region in late February, Russian troops occupying towns there promised locals they would stay forever.

Instead, Ukrainian troops drove Russian forces out of most of the region that month and recaptured about 3,500 square miles of territory in a matter of days. The lightning-fast advance saw Russian troops scrambling to retreat, pro-Kremlin Ukrainians fleeing across the border into Russia, and Russians searching for answers after Ukraine reclaimed areas along the shared border.