Ukrainian officials posted messages commemorating the one-year anniversary of the recapture of Kherson, the latest successful advance on the front line.
"Today marks the first anniversary of the liberation of Kherson, the city of hope," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a message on November 11, thanking the soldiers and local people.
The Ukrainian leader emphasized that Kherson is the basis for the people's continued belief that the Russian army cannot permanently hold onto the southern territories, stretching from the Crimean Peninsula to the Donbass region. He affirmed that Ukraine will never forget the cities and villages controlled by the Russian army since hostilities broke out in February 2022.
"Ukraine will return if we unite and stand together," he said.
Ukrainian President Volodymyz Zelensky during a visit to the city of Kherson on November 14, 2022. Photo: Reuters
Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukrainian military intelligence, also assessed the recapture of Kherson as a crucial turning point in the war. Meanwhile, Chief of the General Staff Valery Zaluzhny thanked the Ukrainian soldiers and civilians for their unwavering courage in retaking the city.
The Russian army gained control of Kherson within the first week of the war thanks to elite forces from the Crimean Peninsula and the support of pro-Russian local officials.
However, after successfully defending Kyiv, the Ukrainian army launched a siege of Kherson last fall, forcing Russia to move many elite forces to the area. When the Ukrainian forces in the east launched a lightning counterattack pushing Russian forces out of Kharkiv in September, the Kherson defenders were forced to gradually withdraw across the Dnieper River.
By November 2022, as Ukrainian artillery tightened its encirclement, Russian forces completely withdrew from Kherson to avoid the risk of being fully surrounded and suffering heavy losses. Russian troops still controlled much of the Kherson region, and Russian artillery continuously threatened the city from positions across the river.
The Kherson River was also the last major "victory" of the Ukrainian army in the past year. The battlefield situation returned to a stalemate, despite Ukraine receiving additional military equipment and new weapons from the West. The Russian army established a formidable defensive line in southern Ukraine with anti-tank fortifications and minefields, and the defensive units were reinforced with additional personnel.
Since launching its large-scale counteroffensive in June, Ukraine has made no significant progress on the key Zaporizhzhia front, while facing the risk of a surprise attack in the northeast.
General Zaluzhny acknowledged that the war had "frozen" because Russia could maintain its technological and numerical superiority for an extended period. He argued that Ukraine needed more modern approaches and means to break the current stalemate.
Thanh Danh (According to AFP, Kyiv Post )
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