‘The beginning of the end of the war’
KHERSON: President Volodymyr Zelensky said Ukraine’s recapture of Kherson marked “the beginning of the end of the war”, during a surprise visit to the newly recaptured city.
He said the city’s “critical infrastructure” was destroyed while under the control of Russian troops, leaving the population with no electricity, communications or internet.
It came as NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg cautioned that Ukraine was facing difficult months ahead and said Russia’s military capability should not be underestimated.
And in Bali, US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping – a key ally of Vladimir Putin – said they were in agreement that nuclear weapons must never be used, including in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian presidency distributed images of Mr Zelensky singing the national anthem with his hand over his heart as the country’s blue and yellow flag was hoisted next to Kherson’s main administrative building.
“This is the beginning of the end of the war,” he said.
“It is a long way, a difficult way, because the war took the best heroes of our country. We are ready for peace.
“People are injured. A large number are dead. There were fierce battles, and the result is – today we are in Kherson region.”
In his daily address issued after his visit, he highlighted the hardships Kherson faces as winter approaches.
“There is no electricity, no communication, no internet, no television … before winter, the Russian occupiers destroyed absolutely all critical infrastructure … absolutely all important facilities in the city, and the region is mined,” Mr Zelensky said.
“The occupiers destroyed everything themselves, on purpose. This is what the Russian flag means – complete devastation,” he said, promising a return to normal life.
Ukrainian national energy company Ukrenergo said Russia had destroyed key energy infrastructure supplying the entire right bank of the Kherson region and a significant part of the Mykolaiv region.
“Most of the liberated Kherson region has been without electricity since November 6,” Ukrenergo chief Volodymyr Kudrytskyi said. “We are doing our best to supply people with electricity as soon as possible.”
Moscow formally annexed Kherson only last month, and Vladimir Putin’s spokesman denied that the Ukrainian President’s visit had any impact on its status.
It came just days after Ukrainian troops entered the city – the Kherson region’s administrative centre – after Russia pulled back its forces on Friday.
The takeover is the latest in a string of setbacks for the Kremlin, which invaded Ukraine on February 24 hoping for a lightning takeover that would topple the government in days.
Still, Mr Stoltenberg said “the coming months will be difficult – we should not make the mistake of underestimating Russia”.
The city of Kherson was the first major urban hub to fall to Russian forces and the only regional capital seized by Moscow’s troops.
Its recapture opens a gateway for Ukraine to the entire Kherson region, one of four that the Kremlin announced in September were annexed and part of Russia.
Mr Putin has vowed to use all available means to defend them from Ukrainian forces, hinting at the use of nuclear weapons if necessary.