Live: Locals rejoice over Russian retreat from Kherson as demining carried out
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Ukrainians on Saturday hailed Russia’s retreat from Kherson, as Kyiv said it was working to demine the strategic southern city, record Russian crimes and restore power across the region. Read FRANCE 24’s live blog to see how the day’s events unfolded. All times are Paris time (GMT+1).
12:53pm: Russia’s Lavrov arrives in Bali for G20 summit
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Sunday arrived in Bali, Indonesia to attend a G20 summit, taking the place of president Vladimir Putin who decided not to attend.
Lavrov was received by a guard of honour and traditional dancers, but is expected to face criticism at the summit over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and threat to use nuclear weapons in the conflict.
11:39am: After Kherson success, Kyiv vows to keep driving out Russia
Ukraine’s president vowed to keep pushing Russian forces out of his country after they withdrew from Kherson, leaving behind devastation, hunger and booby traps in the southern Ukrainian city.
The Russian retreat from marked a triumphant milestone in Ukraine’s pushback against Moscow’s invasion almost nine months ago. Kherson residents hugged and kissed the arriving Ukrainian troops in rapturous scenes.
“We will see many more such greetings” of Ukrainian soldiers liberating Russian-held territory,” President said in his nightly video address Saturday.
He pledged to the people in Ukrainian cities and villages that are still under occupation: “We don’t forget anyone; we won’t leave anyone.”
The Russians destroyed bridges across the Dnipro river and infrastructure within the city, while leaving behind a lot of land mines and tripwires. The city of Kherson itself is now without heat, water or electricity. FRANCE 24’s Luke Shrago reports from Koblevo, in the Mykolaiv Oblast of Ukraine.
9:13: Russia’s Lavrov says West seeking to militarise southeast Asia
Russian Foreign Minister on Sunday said the West was “militarising” in a bid to contain Russian and Chinese interests, setting the stage for a confrontation between Russia and Western leaders at the G20 summit in Bali.
Lavrov will head Russia’s delegation to the summit – the first such meeting since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February – after the Kremlin said President was too busy to attend.
Ukraine is set to dominate the agenda with Western leaders likely to publicly confront Russia over its invasion of Ukraine and push the likes of China and India – which have both previously expressed concerns over the war – to criticise Moscow’s actions.
Speaking during a press conference at the conclusion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Phnom Penh, Lavrov scolded the United States over its actions in the region, which both Russia and the West see as a potential strategic geopolitical battleground in the coming decades.
07:30pm: ‘We are Ukraine’: Locals joyful over Russian retreat from Kherson
was one of four regions in Ukraine that Russian President claimed to have annexed in September. Weeks later, the Russian retreat from the city of Kherson has boosted Ukrainian resistance after nearly nine months of fighting and hardship.
In the formerly occupied village of Pravdyne, outside Kherson, returning locals embraced their neighbours, with some unable to hold back tears.
Several disabled anti-tank mines and grenades could be seen in the settlement, which is home to a Polish Roman Catholic church, with a number of damaged buildings also visible.
Speaking from Kherson city centre, Yaroslav Yanushevych, head of the regional state administration, said everything was being done to “return normal life” to the area.
While demining is carried out, a curfew has been put in place and movement in and out of the city has been limited, Yanushevych explained in a video posted to social media, in which people could be seen celebrating in the background.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and REUTERS )
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