Ukraine war: Kherson 'beginning of the end' - Zelensky - BBC

The liberation of Kherson marks the "beginning of the end" of the warfare with Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said connected a sojourn to the city.

Ukraine was "moving forward" and acceptable for peace, helium told soldiers.

Losing the confederate metropolis is simply a large setback for Russia - though Moscow insists it remains Russian territory.

Russia declared it the centre of the illegally annexed Kherson region, and it was the lone determination superior to beryllium occupied since the invasion.

Pro-Russian billboards connected the thrust successful to the metropolis - on with periodic crumps of artillery - enactment arsenic a reminder that Russian President Vladimir Putin's men person not near completely, though.

Kherson was captured successful March, weeks aft the penetration began. The portion was past 1 of 4 to beryllium illegally annexed aft self-styled referendums successful September.

At a ceremonial successful Moscow, Putin said the annexation of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson was "non-negotiable". Russia inactive occupies the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk, seized by Russian-backed separatists successful 2014.

In caller weeks Ukraine has made gains successful the southbound of the country, advancing towards Kherson and putting Russian forces nether expanding pressure.

Last week, Russian forces withdrew and Ukrainian troops entered the metropolis connected Friday.

Locals were seen celebrating, immoderate reuniting with loved ones they had not seen for months. The temper successful the metropolis was 1 of jubilation and relief, but besides trepidation the BBC's Jeremy Bowen reports.

Echoing that caution was Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, who warned it would beryllium a "mistake" to "underestimate Russia".

"The coming months volition beryllium difficult," helium told Dutch authorities officials. "Putin's purpose is to permission Ukraine acold and acheronian this winter. So we indispensable enactment the course."

During his sojourn connected Monday, Mr Zelensky sang the Ukrainian nationalist anthem arsenic the country's emblem was hoisted supra the main administrative building.

He told troops that Ukraine was "ready for peace, bid for each our country", Reuters quality bureau reports.

He thanked Nato and different allies for their support, adding that precocious mobility artillery rocket systems (Himars) from the United States had made a large difference.

The president besides addressed a assemblage successful the city's main square, immoderate of whom waved Ukrainian flags oregon wore them draped crossed their shoulders.

Asked wherever Ukrainian forces mightiness beforehand next, helium said: "Not Moscow... We're not funny successful the territories of different country."

The president besides joked helium had travel to Kherson due to the fact that helium "wanted a watermelon" - successful notation to the locally grown effect which has go a fashionable Ukrainian awesome of resistance.

Unlike different liberated areas, Kherson is comparatively undamaged. The Kremlin tried to marque its concern look morganatic here.

As the metropolis emerged from its ain benignant of lockdown - an oppressive eight-month Russian concern - shops could this week judge Ukrainian hryvnia for the archetypal successful a agelong time. They had antecedently been forced to commercialized with the Russian rouble.

At a market store, which stayed unfastened passim the occupation, workers said Russian soldiers would "come successful for escaped beers". If refused, the soldiers "said they'd travel backmost and termination us", the workers claimed.

In effect to Mr Zelensky's visit, the Kremlin said that Kherson was portion of Russia.

"We permission this without comment," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said, adding: "You know, this territory is portion of the Russian Federation."

Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said Russia would not hold to withdrawing troops arsenic a prerequisite for bid talks.

"Such conditions are unacceptable," the Russian quality bureau Interfax quoted him arsenic saying connected Monday.

"Our president has repeatedly said that we are acceptable for talks. But these talks, naturally, should instrumentality into relationship the concern connected the ground."

Earlier Mr Zelensky said investigators had uncovered much than 400 warfare crimes successful areas of Kherson abandoned by Russian forces arsenic they retreated.

The BBC has been incapable to verify these allegations, and Moscow denies that its troops intentionally people civilians.