Nine months into the war, Ukrainian troops entered Kherson – and were greeted by an enthusiastic crowd. Earlier, Russian troops had evacuated the strategically important city in the south of the country. “Kherson returns to Ukraine’s control,” the defense ministry said in Kiev, which also cheered (see video above). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke of a “historic day” in his video message on Friday night.
The city has not yet been completely freed from the “hostile presence”, he explained. However, Ukrainian special forces are already on the scene. The inhabitants of Kherson also independently removed Russian symbols from streets and buildings. Shortly after the Russians withdrew, Ukrainian flags were raised.
“They never gave up on Ukraine”
Zelenskyy also published a video showing motorcades and cheering choirs for the approaching Ukrainian soldiers (see below). “The people of Kherson have been waiting. They never gave up on Ukraine,” the head of state said. “It will be the same in the cities still waiting for our reconquest.”
The Ukrainian regional administration is urging the population not to leave their homes until Ukrainian troops have completely taken the city and the search for any remaining Russian troops has been completed. According to local reports, the Ukrainian units had already moved to the small town of Beryslav, not far from the Kakhovka dam.
Meanwhile, a vanguard of Ukrainian troops reached the western bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region. This was announced by the Ukrainian General Staff on Facebook. According to its own statements, the Russian army had previously withdrawn 30,000 soldiers from the north of the oblast across the river. The Russian news agency RIA Novosti published footage of military vehicles leaving Kherson across the Antonovsky Bridge.
Moscow launches new attacks
Russia, according to its own statements, began attacks on the newly abandoned region shortly after the withdrawal. “Currently, troops and military equipment of the Ukrainian armed forces are being fired on the right bank of the Dnipro River,” the Russian defense ministry said on Friday.
The Kherson region has been the target of the Ukrainian counter-offensive for weeks. For Moscow, the region is of great strategic importance to continue the offensive towards Mykolaiv and the Black Sea port of Odessa. In addition, Kherson is home to the Kakhovka Dam, which supplies water to the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia.
Kremlin Spokesperson: “No Changes”
Even after the withdrawal of its troops, Moscow continues to regard the Ukrainian Kherson region as Russian territory. The Kherson region will remain part of the Russian Federation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed. “This statute is defined and consolidated by law. There are no changes here and there cannot be,” Peskov said.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
