“The Beginning of the End of the War”

Just days after Russian troops withdrew from Kherson, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (44) traveled to the city. His performance is emotional and hopeful.

The Russian withdrawal from Kherson was “the beginning of the end of the war”. Selenksi seems visibly touched by this statement for journalists. The reaction of the population to the arrival of Ukrainian troops in Kherson speaks for itself, he says.

Kherson is “not a pretty face”

Since last Friday, Ukrainian soldiers have been emotionally received by residents. The President of Ukraine now walks proudly through these streets – along with a huge contingent of soldiers for protection.

But he also says: “The many destroyed houses, the many destroyed cafes, that is not a pretty sight. But that is exactly what the Russian Federation did to Ukraine. It showed the whole world that it can kill. But the Ukrainian armed forces, the National Guard, the intelligence services have proved that it is impossible to kill Ukraine.”

According to Zelensky, Russian troops destroyed all infrastructure in the city before withdrawing from the city of Kherson. “There is no electricity, no communication, no internet and no television in Kherson,” he said in a video message after the visit. “All important facilities in the city and in the region are being exploited.”

Huge defeat for Russia

Russian troops withdrew from Kherson last week after eight months of occupation after Ukrainian troops moved into the area. For Russia, the withdrawal is a bitter defeat.

Kherson was the only regional capital captured by Russian troops. The region is also of great strategic importance to Moscow, including for launching an offensive towards Mykolaiv and the Black Sea port of Odessa. (euc/AFP)