Ukraine’s southern military command said Monday that Kyiv had kicked off its much-anticipated counter-offensive to take back the city of Kherson, which Russia took in the early days following the February 24 invasion. Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspline said southern command spokesperson Natalia Humeniuk told them that “offensive actions in various directions” had begun, “including in the Kherson region.” After successfully repelling much of Russia’s initial invasion in all but the south and east of the country, Ukraine is now trying to regain territorial losses in the southeast to pincer Russian troops in the east. Recent strategic strikes carried out by Ukrainian on Russian positions, arsenals and the routes of supply lines, such as strategically located bridges, in recent weeks have prepared the ground for the current operation. Humeniuk however would offer no operational details beyond confirming the offensive has begun.The International Atomic Energy Agency is sending a mission to visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in Ukraine this week, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi said on Monday. The facility, Europe’s biggest nuclear plant, is currently occupied by the Russian military and has been the target of strikes in recent weeks. Both Moscow and Kyiv have routinely traded blame for shelling around the complex.