Kyiv: Ukrainian forces have regained control of Makariv after days of fighting, the Armed Forces of Ukraine said on Tuesday. In a post on Facebook, the agency said that the “state flag of Ukraine was raised over the city of Makariv” as the Russians retreated, CNN reported. “Owing to counterattack … the enemy is compelled to retreat to unfavourable borders. So, during the day, thanks to the heroic actions of our defenders, the state flag of Ukraine was raised over the city of Makarov, the enemy was rejected,” the general staff of the armed forces said. The town, 30 miles west of Kyiv, sustained damage from ongoing Russian airstrikes. CNN quoted President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as saying on Monday that any constitutional changes that relate to security guarantees in the country would need to be decided through a referendum and not by him alone. “It is a long process which will be decided by the parliament and by the Ukrainian people,” he said in an interview with Ukrainian local media. He further said, “I explained to our negotiators at the talks that when one is talking about changes — and these changes may be of historic importance — there is no other way around it, we will have to hold a referendum. “The people will have to speak up and respond to this or that form of compromise you have mentioned. And what they (the compromises) will be is the subject of our talks and understanding between Ukraine and Russia.” UNI RNJ