Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Ukraine FM vows to press on after Kherson liberation

Ukraine FM vows to press on after Kherson liberation

Ukraine has vowed to press on in the fight against Russia, one day after its military retook the southern city of Kherson.
Speaking at a Southeast Asia summit in Cambodia on Saturday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the struggle to liberate his country would carry on.

"We are winning battles on the ground. But the war continues," he said. "I understand that everyone wants this war to end as soon as possible. We are certainly the ones who want it more than anyone."

On Friday, the Ukrainian army entered Kherson, a strategic port city on the Black Sea, following Moscow's withdrawal of its forces.

It was one of the first city Ukrainian cities to fall to Russia's military after it invaded Ukraine in February.

"As long as the war continues, and we see Russia mobilizing more conscripts and bringing more weapons to Ukraine, we will of course continue to count on your continued support,” said Kuleba.

Major allies of Ukraine hailed the liberation of Kherson on Saturday morning.

"It seems that the Ukrainians have just won an extraordinary victory: the only regional capital that Russia seized in this war is now back under the Ukrainian flag, which is quite remarkable," said US national security officer Jake Sullivan.

The UK branded Russia's pullout a tactical blunder, with Defense Minister Ben Wallace claiming it would sow doubt amongst the Russian public.

"Russia's announced withdrawal from Kherson marks yet another strategic failure for them," he said in a statement. "In February, Russia failed to seize the major targets it had set itself, apart from Kherson."

"Now, with [this city] also abandoned, people in Russia must be wondering: What is all this for," Wallace added.

In his nightly address on Friday, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said it was a moment of history for Ukraine.

“Today is a historic day. We are taking back the south of the country, we are taking back Kherson,” said Zelensky in a speech which was shared widely on social media.

"The special forces are already in the city," he added, saying that their first job would be to clear up mines left by the Russian army as boobytraps.

Kherson was occupied by Russian forces in mid-March. The region around the city, home to 250,000 people before the war, has been a flashpoint between Kyiv and Moscow, with the Ukrainian army pressing into the area for months.

The advance is the most significant development in the Ukraine war months. Russian forces retreated from the northeastern Kharkiv region in September, following a lightning offensive by Ukrainian troops.

The mood in Kyiv was jubilant on Friday evening, with locals and refugees from Kherson celebrating on Maidan Square.

“Finally my free city, the one where I was born, where I lived all my life”, said Nastia Stepenska, who was partying on the emblematic square in the Ukrainian capital.

"When they [the Russians] arrived, it was horrifying, we didn't know what would happen the next day, if we would stay alive", said the 17-year-old schoolgirl, with tears in her eyes and Ukraine's national colors painted on her cheeks.

Earlier Friday, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced at 5:00 a.m. Moscow time that it had completed "the redeployment" of its units from the western bank of the Dnieper River, where Kherson is located, towards the left bank.

According to Moscow, "more than 30,000" Russian soldiers and "nearly 5,000 units of armaments and military vehicles" were "withdrawn" from the city, ensuring that they did not suffer any losses or abandoned military equipment.

In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that his country had annexed four Ukrainian regions, which included Kherson.

Despite the withdrawal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Kherson remains part of "the Russian Federation".

"There can be no change," he added.
AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
Hungary's Szeleczki Shines at World Judo Championships
Visegrád Construction Trends Diverge as Hungary Lags
Hungary Hosts National Quantum Technology Workshop
Hungarian Animation Featured at Annecy Festival
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
UK and EU Reach New Economic Agreement
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Austrian School Shooting Leaves Nine Dead in Graz
Bezos's Lavish Venice Wedding Sparks Local Protests
Europe Prepares for Historic Lunar Rover Landing
Italian Parents Seek Therapy Amid Lengthy School Holidays
British Fishing Vessel Seized by France Fined €30,000
Dutch Government Collapses Amid Migration Policy Dispute
UK Commits to 3.5% GDP Defence Spending Under NATO Pressure
Germany Moves to Expedite Migrant Deportations
US Urges UK to Raise Defence Spending to 5% of GDP
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Low Turnout Jeopardizes Italy's Citizenship Reform Referendum
Transatlantic Interest Rate Divergence Widens as Trump Pressures Powell
EU Lawmaker Calls for Broader Exemptions in Supply Chain Legislation
France's Defense Spending Plans Threatened by High National Debt
European Small-Cap Stocks Outperform U.S. Rivals Amid Growth Revival
Switzerland Proposes $26 Billion Capital Increase for UBS
×