KHERSON, Ukraine (AP) — President Volodymyr Zelenskyy triumphantly walked the streets of the newly liberated city of Kherson on Monday, hailing Russia’s withdrawal as the “beginning of the end of the war,” but also acknowledging the heavy price Ukrainian troops are paying in their grinding effort to push back the invaders.
The retaking of Kherson was one of Ukraine’s biggest successes in the nearly 9-month-old war, dealing another stinging blow to the Kremlin. It could serve as a springboard for more advances into occupied territory.
President Joe Biden called it a “significant victory” for Ukraine.
“I can do nothing but applaud the courage, determination and capacity of the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian military,” he said on the sidelines of a Group of 20 summit in Indonesia. “I mean, they’ve really been amazing. And I think it’s hard to tell at this point exactly what it means. … But I’ve been very clear that we’re going to continue to provide the capability for the Ukrainian people to defend themselves.”
Large parts of eastern and southern Ukraine are still under Russian control, and the city of Kherson itself remains within reach of Moscow’s shells and missiles. Heeavy fighting continued elsewhere in the country.
In Kherson, Zelenskyy awarded medals to soldiers and posed with them for selfies while striking a defiant note.
“This is the beginning of the end of the war,” he said. “We are step by step coming to all the temporarily occupied territories.”
But he also grimly noted that the fighting “took the best heroes of our country.”
The end of Russia’s occupation of the city — the only provincial capital its forces have seized since the February invasion — has sparked days of celebration. But with winter approaching, its residents are without heat, water and electricity, and short on food and medicine. Zelenskyy added that the city is laced with booby traps and mines. And Ukrainian authorities say there are signs of atrocities emerging, just as in other liberated areas.
The Institute for the Study of War said Ukraine has won “an important victory” in recapturing the city and other areas west of the Dnieper River, but the Washington-based think tank noted that “it has by no means liberated the minimum territory essential to its future security and economic survival.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, while visiting The Hague, warned that “we should not make the mistake of underestimating Russia.”
“The Russian armed forces retain significant capability as well as a large number of troops, and Russia has demonstrated their willingness to bear significant losses,” he said.
Zelenskyy previously has appeared unexpectedly in other front-line areas at crucial moments of the war, and his latest visit was both laden with symbolism and the common touch — clearly aimed at boosting morale of soldiers and civilians alike.
In video posted by a presidential aide, a visibly moved Zelenskyy stood with his hand on his heart and sang the national anthem as troops saluted and stood at attention and a soldier steadily raised the yellow-and-blue Ukrainian flag.
People with flags draped around their shoulders cheered, cried and shouted in gratitude as Zelenskyy walked by.
