News
Live updates: Russian forces retreat from key Ukrainian city of Kherson
A Ukrainian official for the primary time on Friday acknowledged that Kherson metropolis is “nearly below the management of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” however warned that some Russian troops could have remained behind in civilian clothes.
Serhii Khlan, a member of Ukraine’s Kherson regional council, advised a web-based briefing that “de-occupation of Kherson metropolis and the western financial institution of the Dnipro is on the ultimate stage.”
He cautioned that many Russian troops “threw away their navy uniforms, and are actually hiding with civilian garments on.”
“They are going to be plotting provocations, false-flag operations within the metropolis,” he mentioned. “There may be numerous work forward on de-mining and clearing the town.”
Residents of Kherson metropolis with whom CNN has spoken in latest weeks confirmed that many Russian troopers have been utilizing civilian clothes.
Khlan additionally mentioned that giant numbers of Russian troops drowned whereas making an attempt to flee the town. CNN can’t verify his declare.
“Our Armed Forces, below a fierce onslaught, destroyed many of the Russians who have been fleeing like rats to the left (japanese) financial institution of the Dnipro,” Khlan mentioned. “They have been fleeing alongside the pontoons that they had constructed below Antonivskyi bridge, leaving their gear behind. Many Russians have drowned.”
Whereas retreating, he mentioned that Russian forces had detonated explosives at Kherson’s energy plant and destroyed a part of a TV antenna. Photographs of the destroyed TV antenna circulated this morning on Telegram.
“Now since our Armed Forces have truly taken management of the right-bank [western] a part of the Kherson area, we are able to preserve the left-bank [eastern] a part of Kherson area below fireplace management, as much as the Crimean isthmus,” he mentioned.
He mentioned that communications within the metropolis remained extraordinarily troublesome, and that each gasoline and electrical energy have been scarce.
“The Ukrainian flag is raised in Kherson metropolis. To any extent further, the Ukrainian flag will seem on all buildings in Kherson. That is what we have now dreamed of from the primary days of occupation,” he added.