KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian forces have advanced seven km (4.3 miles) in two directions in the south and recaptured 12 new settlements in the last 24 hours, Ukrainian army chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi said on Thursday. Russia said on Wednesday that its forces would retreat from the west bank of the Dnipro River, which includes Kherson, the only regional capital Moscow had captured since invading Ukraine in February. Zaluzhnyi said Ukrainian forces had advanced in the direction from Pervomaiske towards Kherson, and from Petropavlivka towards Novoraysk, roughly parallel with the Dnipro River. It was un…