After the withdrawal of Russian soldiers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said his own troops were continuing to advance towards the regional capital of Kherson in the south of the country. “Today is a historic day,” Zelensky said in his daily video address on Friday evening. At the same time, his country must defend the newly reconquered territory from new Russian attacks.
Meanwhile, the EU wants to provide financial support to Ukrainian cargo traffic, which has been hit hard by the war. With food shortages looming, the United Nations is calling on countries around the world to remove barriers to exports of fertilizers from Russia. Russia, in turn, has imposed entry bans on another 200 Americans. Saturday is the 262nd day of war.
Zelenskyy: The people of Kherson have never given up on Ukraine
The city of Kherson has not yet been completely cleared of “enemy presence,” Zelensky said. However, the Ukrainian special forces are already there. Kherson residents also independently removed Russian symbols from streets and buildings. Zelenskyi also released a video that is supposed to show motorcades and cheers for approaching Ukrainian soldiers. “Kherson people waited. They never gave up on Ukraine,” the head of state said.
Under pressure from Ukrainian counter-offensives, Russia announced on Wednesday that it was withdrawing its troops from the Kherson side northwest of the Dnipro River. The regional capital of the same name, Kherson, is also located here. For the first time since the start of the war, Russia has lost a larger part of an area it annexed in violation of international law and, in this context, describes it as its own state territory.
Selensky informed Scholz of the advance of the Ukrainian army
Selensky also informed Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) about the advance of his armed forces on Kherson in a phone call. In addition to the military, the political and humanitarian situation in Ukraine was also discussed, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said.
Both politicians also condemned “the ongoing targeted bombing of civilian infrastructure in Ukraine by the Russian Armed Forces and discussed concrete measures to strengthen Ukraine’s energy infrastructure”. Scholz reiterated Ukraine’s continued support for current priorities in the fields of energy infrastructure and air defense.
After Troops Withdraw: Russia bombs an abandoned area in Kherson
Russia, for its part, says it has launched its first attacks on the part of the Kherson region that has just been abandoned. “Currently, troops and military equipment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are being shelled on the right bank of the Dnipro River,” the defense ministry said in Moscow.
Only a few hours earlier the authorities had announced that all Russian units in the southern Ukraine area had been moved to the left bank of the river. According to information from Moscow, there are a total of over 30,000 troops who are now stationed southeast of the Dnipro.
One billion euros is used to support the expansion of goods traffic with Ukraine
Together with partners, the EU wants to invest around one billion euros in alternative freight connections between Ukraine and other countries. The so-called solidarity corridors are currently the only way for Ukraine to export non-agricultural goods, the EU Commission and other involved parties said. Furthermore, goods such as fuel or humanitarian aid could only be imported through them.
Before the Russian attack, Ukraine had mainly traded through its main Black Sea ports. However, these can currently only be used for the transport of selected agricultural products, as the necessary security guarantees do not exist for other transports.
The UN calls for an end to barriers to exports of fertilizers from Russia
The United Nations, meanwhile, has called on countries around the world to remove barriers to exports of fertilizers from Russia. “The world cannot afford that global problems with the availability of fertilizers lead to global food shortages,” the UN said on Friday evening after talks with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin and his delegation in Geneva.
Russia had questioned the continuation of the July grain deal that allowed for Ukrainian exports through the Black Sea. Moscow had blocked exports since the start of its war of aggression against Ukraine.
The deal expires on November 19. Russia complains that Western sanctions prevent it from bringing its food and fertilizer exports to the world market. The unhindered export of food and fertilizers from Russia was the focus of the talks, along with an extension of the grain deal.
Russia extends travel bans to US
In response to Western sanctions, Russia barred another 200 Americans from entering the country. US President Joe Biden’s two brothers, James and Francis Biden, and sister Valerie Biden are also now on the so-called stop list, as announced by the Moscow State Department. The authority had already imposed an entry ban on the same US head of state in mid-March.
Banksy confirms work on destroyed house in Ukraine
Mysterious street artist Banksy is believed to have immortalized himself in Ukraine. On his Instagram channel on Friday evening he posted images of work on a war-damaged house, which is said to have been taken in the badly devastated town of Borodjanka near Kiev.
The work shows a girl against the gray wall of the house, who seems to be doing a handstand on the rubble. Her publication on the Instagram channel is a sign that Banksy confirms a work by her as hers. The artist has also traveled to crisis areas in the past, including the West Bank. Banksy’s identity is still unknown.
It will be important on Saturday
One of the hubs of the war is likely to continue to be the city of Chersonesos. After the withdrawal of the Russian troops, the Ukrainians want to continue their advance and take complete control of the city.
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