Unexploded grenades, smoking vehicles and dead bodies litter a scorched bridge near Kyiv after a Russian attack was repelled by Ukrainian forces.
CNN’s Matthew Chance walked through the aftermath of the scene on Monday, where charred debris litters the ground and the remains of Russian soldiers lay abandoned on the tarmac.
Heavy-duty military vehicles were reduced to rubble in the fighting, with Western anti-tank missiles assisting in the Ukrainians' defence, Chance said.
The Russian column has been absolutely hammered," he said.
“Ukrainian officials and Ukrainian soldiers who I’ve been speaking to over the last couple of hours are absolutely enthused by this victory," Chance said.
“It’s not just here. We’ve seen instances all over the country where Ukrainians have really pushed back against the Russians, and it’s really made them feel that they can win this war."
Russian forces have encountered "stiffer than expected" resistance from the Ukrainian military as well as unexpected difficulties supplying its forces, two senior US officials with direct knowledge told CNN on Sunday.
But Chance added that the question remains: “What will Russia do now?" He predicted a strong likelihood that Moscow could "double down and go in much harder" in response. “That is the big risk now for the Ukrainian military.”
Watch the CNN report here: