Beginning of the end of war with Russia: Zelenskyy on Kherson liberation

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy made a triumphant visit to the newly liberated city of Kherson on Monday, hailing the Russian withdrawal as the beginning of the end of the war.

He also acknowledged the heavy price paid by Ukrainian soldiers in their grinding effort to push back the invading force.

The retaking of Kherson was one of Ukraine’s biggest successes in nearly nine months since the invasion. It served another stinging blow to the Kremlin and could become a springboard for further advances into occupied territory.

Historic scenes of jubilation in Kherson following the city’s liberation from Russian occupation. Amazing to think that just weeks ago, the Kremlin tried to convince the world that that these people wanted to join Russia https://t.co/Q6k9LSP9Ht

— Business Ukraine mag (@Biz_Ukraine_Mag) November 12, 2022

Zelenskyy walked the streets of the city on Monday, just hours after warning in his nightly video address of booby traps and mines left behind by the Russians before their retreat.

“This is the beginning of the end of the war,” he said. “We are, step by step, coming to all the temporarily occupied territories,” he added.

Also Read: Russia says it’s pulling out troops from Kherson; Ukraine calls it a trap

The end of Russia’s occupation of the city has sparked days of celebration but also exposed a humanitarian emergency, with residents living without power and water and facing a shortage of food and medicines.

Russia still controls about 70 per cent of the wider Kherson region.

Zelenskyy has previously appeared unexpectedly in other front-line areas at crucial junctures of the war. His latest visit was both laden with symbolism and the common touch clearly aimed at boosting the morale of soldiers and civilians alike.

In a video posted by a presidential aide, a visibly moved Zelenskyy stood with his right hand on his heart and sang the national anthem as troops saluted and stood to attention and soldier steadily hauled the yellow-and-blue Ukrainian flag up a flagpole.

Official flag-raising in Kherson with the participation of the President of Ukraine pic.twitter.com/djFHbFRbCB

— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) November 14, 2022

Other footage showed Zelenskyy waving to residents, who saluted him from an apartment window and yelled: “Glory to Ukraine!” The reply “Glory to the heroes!” came back from Zelenskyy’s group, made up of soldiers and civilians.

Also Read: G20: Russia-Ukraine prime on world leaders’ minds; US-China meet key

The president also distributed medals among Ukrainian soldiers in a central square and posed for selfies with them.

Zelenskyy awarded Ukrainian soldiers who participated in the liberation of Kherson

Among them at least one international fighter from Belarusian regiment, a fighter "Phil" according to Nasha Niva (first photo)
📷OP pic.twitter.com/jzpbn5lHzH

— Euromaidan Press (@EuromaidanPress) November 14, 2022

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday refused to comment on Zelenskyy’s visit to Kherson, only saying, “You know it is the territory of the Russian Federation.”

The Kremlin illegally annexed Kherson and three other regions earlier this year. After the Russian retreat, Ukrainian authorities said they found evidence of torture and other atrocities.

In his nightly video address on Sunday, Zelenskyy said without giving details that investigators had already documented more than 400 Russian war crimes, and the bodies of both civilians and military personnel have been found.

“In the Kherson region, the Russian army left behind the same atrocities as in other regions of our country,” he said. “We will find and bring to justice every murderer, without a doubt,” he added.

Also Read: Ukraine FM: Moscow playing hunger games with world

Residents said departing Russian troops plundered the city, carting away loot as they withdrew last week. They also wrecked key infrastructure before retreating across the wide Dnieper River to its east bank.

One Ukrainian official described the situation in Kherson as a “humanitarian catastrophe.” Reconnecting the electricity supply is the priority, with gas supplies already assured, Kherson regional governor Yaroslav Yanushevych said.

Before retreating from Kherson Russia destroyed power facilities. What they didn't blow up, they broke and shot. High-voltage lines were mined. Kherson is without electricity since November 6. It may take weeks until it will be fully restored. pic.twitter.com/8NvvefYQ3f

— Maria Avdeeva (@maria_avdv) November 15, 2022

The Russian pullout marked a triumphant milestone in Ukraine’s pushback against Moscow’s invasion almost nine months ago. In the past two months, Ukraine’s military claimed to have retaken dozens of towns and villages north of the city of Kherson.

(With inputs from agencies)