Ukraine’s Zelensky hails Kherson capture as ‘beginning of end of war’
KHERSON, Ukraine: President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday said Ukraine’s recapture of Kherson marked ‘the beginning of the end of the war’ during a surprise visit to the newly liberated city.
But the city’s ‘critical infrastructure’ was destroyed while under the control of Russian troops, he said, leaving the population with no electricity, communications or internet.
Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg cautioned that Ukraine was facing difficult months ahead and said that Russia’s military capability should not be underestimated.
And US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping — a key ally of Vladimir Putin — agreed in talks Monday that nuclear weapons should never be used, including in Ukraine.
The Ukrainian presidency distributed images of Zelensky singing the national anthem with his hand over his chest 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,” Zelensky said.
“It is a long way, a difficult way, because the war took the best heroes of our country. We are ready for peace.”
He added that “the price of this war is high”.
“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 late Monday 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,” Zelensky said.
Moscow formally annexed Kherson last month. Russian President Vladimir Putin’s spokesman denied that the Ukrainian leader’s visit had any impact on its status.
Zelensky’s visit 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 Feb 24 hoping for a lightning takeover that would topple the government in days.