After the Kremlin troops left Kherson, residents drove through the city in cheering parades, President Zelenskyy reports. Putin's spokesman does not want to see the setback in southern Ukraine as a defeat for Russia. Meanwhile, there is hope for a commitment from Moscow against the use of nuclear weapons. The 261st day of the war at a glance.
Zelenskyj: "People have been waiting for us"
After the withdrawal of the Russian soldiers, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj reported that his own troops were continuing to advance towards the regional capital of Cherson in the south of the country. "Today is a historic day," said Zelenskyj in his video speech. The city has not yet been completely liberated from the "enemy presence," he said. However, Ukrainian special forces are already on site. The residents of Kherson also independently removed Russian symbols from streets and buildings.
Zelenskyj also published a video that is supposed to show motorcades and cheering choirs for the approaching Ukrainian soldiers. "The people of Kherson have been waiting. They have never given up on Ukraine," said the head of state. "It will be the same in the cities that still await our reconquest."
Under pressure from the Ukrainian counter-offensives, Russia announced last Wednesday that it was withdrawing its own troops from the part of Cherson north-west of the Dnipro River. For the first time since the beginning of the war, Russia has lost a larger part of an area that it annexed in violation of international law and, against this background, describes it as its own state territory.
Russian shelling from the left bank of the Dnipro
According to its own statements, shortly after the withdrawal, Russia began attacks on the region that had just been abandoned. "Currently, troops and military equipment of the Ukrainian armed forces are being shelled on the right bank of the Dnipro River," the Russian Defense Ministry said. Just a few hours earlier, ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov announced that all Russian units in the southern Ukrainian region had been moved to the left bank of the river.
When they retreated, they also left wounded comrades behind, the British "Daily Telegraph" reported, citing witness reports from the front. "There is a withdrawal of Russian troops to more fortified positions," the newspaper quoted Nikolai, a Ukrainian soldier as saying. However, there are still areas where fierce fighting is going on. "They retreat because they are taking casualties, very heavy casualties. Also, they don't even take the bodies of their soldiers and leave the wounded behind," the soldier said.
Peskow does not admit defeat
In an interview with the BBC, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not want to reveal whether the withdrawal from Cherson would harm Putin's prestige - or even humiliate the Russian president. Peskow's answer: "There are many experts. Some say this, others say that. We don't comment on it. The special military operation continues." Demand from the BBC: "So you do not consider the withdrawal to be a humiliation?" Peskov: "No." BCC: "Does the Kremlin regret that there was a ceremony marking the annexation of Cherson just a few weeks ago?" Peskow also said: "No."
The Kremlin still sees little chance of peace negotiations. Russia does not rule out negotiations with Ukraine, but sees no willingness on the part of Kiev for talks, Peskov said, according to Russian news agencies. "Kyiv does not want talks, so the military special operation continues," Peskov said. From the Kremlin's point of view, the "special military operation" could either be ended once its goals had been achieved or through negotiations, Putin's spokesman continued. However, Peskov indirectly admitted that the Russian position had been weakened. Peace talks "from the position of strength" as claimed by the Ukrainian side are not possible.
G20 summit: passage on nuclear weapons sought
At the forthcoming G20 summit, Russia could make a commitment against the use of nuclear weapons. An EU official said there was a point on non-use of nuclear weapons in the current draft of the final declaration. According to the current status of negotiations, it can be assumed that this will also be found in the final version. "A large number of G20 members want a reference to nuclear weapons," the official said. Concerns about a Russian use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine had recently fueled the illegal annexation of four occupied Ukrainian territories.
A breath of fresh air in the nuclear weapons control treaty
The deadlocked talks between Russia and the USA on nuclear disarmament are also apparently moving. Both sides would soon meet in Cairo to discuss the New Start nuclear arms control treaty, the Ria news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying. Expected to be late November or early December. The United States had recently announced that a meeting was planned soon.
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