The Ukrainian flag is once again flying over the city of Kherson days after Russia’s forces fled the only regional capital Moscow had managed to capture since its invasion earlier this year.
Pictures on social media have shown the blue and yellow flag of Ukraine hanging from lampposts and buildings after Moscow withdrew its military to the other side of the Dnipro river.
The abandonment of Kherson, in the country’s south, will come as a deep embarrassment to Russian President Vladimir Putin who left the announcement of Moscow’s withdrawal to his ministers.
Video from Kherson shows to be cheering in the streets. People have began tearing down Russian propaganda on billboards.
Ukraine said on Friday that its forces were entering Kherson after Russia announced its troops had retreated to defensive positions on the eastern bank of the Dnipro river.
“Kherson is returning to Ukrainian control and units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are entering the city,” the Ukrainian defence ministry said on social media.
“The retreat routes of the Russian invaders are under fire control of the Ukrainian army. Any attempts to oppose the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be stopped.”
But the Kremlin said Friday that the city of Kherson was still part of Russia even tits troops have retreated.
“This is a subject of the Russian Federation. There are no changes in this and there cannot be changes,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters, after defence officials in Moscow this week announced the draw down of forces.
In Russia, the move is being called a “redeployment” rather than a withdrawal.
Russian forces shelled the nearby Ukrainian held city of Mykolaiv as they were leaving Kherson. At least seven people died.
Ukrainian officials have remained wary after Moscow signalled late on Wednesday that it would pull forces from the west bank of the Dnipro river in Kherson, in what would be a major Russian setback in a region Vladimir Putin claimed to have annexed.
Asked by reporters whether Russia now regretted annexing Kherson, Peskov said the Kremlin had “no regrets” about the move.
Kherson was the first major urban hub to fall to Russian troops after President Vladimir Putin announced Moscow’s “special military operation” in Ukraine, and it was the only regional capital his forces captured.
– with AP.
