On 30 September, while Russia's rulers celebrated "successful referendums", Ukrainian defenders set a national flag at Lyman's entrance from the country's centre. Later, Russian commanders announced they were withdrawing, but fighting continued. Deputy defence minister Hanna Maliar confirmed that fighting continues in an important strategic city.
Late in the evening of 1 October, it became known that 5.000 of the occupiers were surrendered. The readiness of Russian soldiers to surrender was confirmed by the deputy chairman of the office of president Kyryl Tyshchenko.
"We thank the ministry of defence of Russia for the successful cooperation in the organization of exercises "Izum 2.0". Almost all Russian troops sent to Lyman were successfully redeployed either to body bags or Ukrainian captivity," wrote the Ukrainian defence Ministry.
Later, the head of Ukraine said that in Lyman, weighing the Ukrainian flag, there are no traces of the referendum, but the liberation continues.
"The Ukrainian flag is already in Lyman Donetsk region. There are still fighting actions. But there is no trace of some pseudo-differential. It is logical for Ukraine. And for the enemy of such "inconsistencies" will be more and more. Ukraine will return its own. Both in the east and the south. And what tried to reverse it now, Crimea, which has been annexed since 2014. Everywhere will be our flag," said Zelenskyy in an address to the people.
Ukrainians of the occupied territories and the whole country are waiting for the complete cleansing of the Lyman from the "Russian world".
