“We are moving forward,” he told soldiers standing in formation in front of the administration building in the city’s central square, according to comments translated by Reuters. “We are ready for peace, peace for our whole country,” he added as he thanked Ukraine’s allies for supplying weapons that helped turn the tide of the war in Ukraine’s favor. There were jubilant scenes in Kherson over the weekend as residents gave Ukrainian troops a hero’s welcome as they entered the city that had been occupied by Russian forces for eight months. A man hugs a Ukrainian soldier as locals gather to celebrate the liberation of Kherson, November 13, 2022, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. – | Afp | Getty Images In his late-night speech on Sunday afternoon, Zelensky said investigators have already documented more than 400 alleged war crimes by Russian troops in the region, with “the bodies of both civilians and military personnel.” Reuters noted that minutes before Zelensky arrived and after he finished his speech, shelling and gunfire were heard in the area around the city. — Holly Elliott
Russia denies that the foreign minister was taken to hospital
The Associated Press reported Monday that Indonesian officials said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was taken to hospital shortly after arriving in Indonesia on Sunday, without elaborating. Pavel Bednyakov | Sputnik | Reuters Russia’s foreign ministry denied a report that Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was taken to hospital as he arrived in Bali on Sunday for this week’s G-20 meeting, calling it “fake news”. The AP reported that Sergey Lavrov was taken to the hospital after landing in Bali, where he was to attend the summit that starts on Tuesday. It cited Indonesian officials as sources for the report. Lavrov was to attend the G20 summit in Bali in place of President Vladimir Putin, who had previously said he would not attend the meeting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is to attend virtually. Indonesian officials did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. — Holly Elliott
Winter will bring unique challenges to both sides of the war, UK says
As temperatures plummet in Ukraine and winter approaches, both Ukraine and Russia are likely to face a new set of challenges as the war continues. Winter will bring a change in conflict conditions for both Russian and Ukrainian forces, according to the latest military assessment by Britain’s Ministry of Defence. “Changes in daylight hours, temperature and weather will present unique challenges for combat troops,” the UK said on Twitter on Monday. “Any decisions made by the Russian General Staff will be made in part by the start of winter.” Daylight will be reduced to less than nine hours a day, compared to 15 to 16 hours at the height of summer, the ministry noted, meaning it will lead to “fewer offensive actions and more static defensive lines”. “The average high temperature will drop from 13 degrees Celsius by September to November, to zero by December to February. Forces without winter weather clothing and accommodation are most likely to suffer non-freezing injuries,” the ministry said. “Furthermore, the ‘golden hour’ window for rescuing a severely wounded soldier is roughly cut in half, making the risk of enemy contact much greater.” Local residents harvest the last potatoes in a field in the village of Zarichne, eastern Ukraine, near the front line in the Donbas region, on November 10, 2022. In the village of Zarichne, which was retaken by Russian forces a few weeks ago, people live without electricity, water and basic necessities. Bulent Kilic | Afp | Getty Images Ukraine’s spring and autumn are characterized by melting snow and heavy rainfall, respectively, both of which cause muddy conditions across the country in what is known as “rasputitsa” or “muddy road season”. The UK said a possible increase in rainfall, wind speed and snowfall in the coming weeks and months would pose additional challenges to the already low morale of Russian forces, as well as problems in maintaining kit. “Essential exercises such as weapon cleaning must be adapted to the conditions and the risk of weapon malfunction increases.” — Holly Elliott
Kherson region ‘still very dangerous’, Zelenskyy warns, as demining teams begin work
As Ukraine’s jubilation over last week’s liberation of the city of Kherson continued over the weekend, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reminded civilians on Sunday night that the situation in the region remains dangerous. “Please do not forget that the situation in the Kherson region is still very dangerous. First of all, there are mines. Unfortunately, one of our swordsmen died and four others were injured while clearing mines,” he said in his nightly speech. urging the inhabitants of Hersonis “to be very careful and to immediately inform the rescuers about all dangerous objects”. “The capture of Russian soldiers and mercenaries left behind in this territory and the neutralization of saboteurs are also continuing,” he said, noting that investigators have already documented more than 400 alleged war crimes by Russian forces. “There are bodies of civilians and military personnel,” he said, adding that in the Kherson region “the Russian army left behind the same atrocities as in other areas of our country where it was able to enter.” A Ukrainian soldier belonging to the demining battalion disables Russian mines in a trench in a field near the town of Snihurivka in Mykolaiv Oblast, Ukraine, on November 12, 2022. Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images With so much attention on Kherson last week, it was easy to forget that fierce fighting continues in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine. Zelensky said on Sunday that “the fighting in the Donetsk region is as intense as in previous days. The level of Russian attacks is not decreasing.” “As of now, the territory of five of our regions was hit by missiles, air and artillery attacks of the occupiers during the day. These are Sumy region, Kharkiv region, Zaporizhzhia, Luhansk region and Donetsk region. We are doing always to make the enemy feel our retaliation. To the maximum.” Zelensky is preparing for another busy week on the diplomatic circuit as the Group of Twenty meeting takes place in Bali on Tuesday. Zelensky will attend the meeting virtually. Russian President Vladimir Putin is not attending the summit, but Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will be. — Holly Elliott
Demining teams work in downtown Kherson today
Residents of the newly liberated city of Kherson have been urged to stay away from the city center and evacuate to safer areas if possible as Ukrainian forces work to clear the city and surrounding area of landmines laid by the retreating Russian troops. . Yaroslav Yanushevych, the governor of Kherson region, told Telegram that while residents continue to celebrate last week’s withdrawal of Russian troops from the city, it is not safe for residents to gather in public spaces. Demining works are taking place in the center of the city of Hersoniss on Monday. “Dear friends, it is already the second day of celebration of the celebration of the Kherson region. People come out into the streets and squares with Ukrainian flags, rejoice and express their gratitude to AFU [Armed Forces of Ukraine]. But I want to warn everyone. Demining operations are underway. The enemy mined almost everything. I’m begging you: don’t gather in crowded places,” he said on Sunday. A damaged tank with graffiti reading “Mining” near the village of Myroliubivka. Many of the vehicles or weapons abandoned by the Russian military have been detonated with explosives. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images Various images have emerged of abandoned military vehicles and buildings with warnings – that they contain land mines – scrawled on them. The sign ‘Mined’ is etched on the door of a damaged local home goods store left behind by Russian soldiers on October 24, 2022, in Velyka Oleksandrivka, Ukraine. Velyka Oleksandrivka in the Kherson region was under Russian occupation for almost seven months. There is no electricity, water or natural gas in the village. World Pictures Ukraine | News Getty Images | Getty Images
Russian forces building defensive lines across river from Kherson city, official says
Having retreated from the city of Kherson and the west bank of the Dnipro River, Russian forces are continuing to build defensive lines on the east bank in the Kherson region, a Ukrainian military official said on Sunday. Oleksandr Shtupun, a spokesman for the general staff of the Ukrainian army, said that Russia “continues to equip defensive lines” on the left bank of the river and is “focusing its efforts on limiting the actions” of Ukrainian forces “in certain directions.” He added that Russia is conducting “offensive operations” in the Bakhmut, Avdiiv and Novopavliv regions. Ukrainian forces recaptured the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson last week after Russian forces announced they were withdrawing from the regional capital. The retreat marked the latest blow in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but Russian troops have not advanced much, having regrouped on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River. They are expected to continue shelling the city of Kherson from there. Ukrainians surround Ukrainian soldiers as they celebrate the liberation of Kherson, November 13, 2022, amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. – | Afp | Getty Images On Sunday, the governor of Kherson region Yaroslav Yanusevic called the residents of the West…
