Others...

Russian troops DESTROY Ukraine dam then flee Kherson dressed as CIVILIANS

Jimie 2022. 11. 13. 04:14

Russian troops DESTROY Ukraine dam then flee Kherson dressed as CIVILIANS in the face of furious Ukraine fire as liberated locals celebrate and shamed Putin suffers 'significant reputational damage' from retreat

  • Russian troops destroyed a key Ukrainian dam before fleeing Kherson dressed as civilians as they fled region
  • Video showed moment Nova Kakhovka dam on the Dnipro River was blown up by retreating Russian soldiers
  • Antonovsky Bridge has also been destroyed, which is the other main crossing point into Kherson Region
  • Satellite images emerged showing damage to Nova Kakhovka dam analysts say was 'deliberately destroyed'
  • Breaching Soviet-era dam could see a devastating wall of water released flooding Kherson and wider area
  • President Volodymyr Zelensky declared Kherson 'ours' as Ukrainians liberated it from Russian forces
  • Southern city was the only regional capital Putin's forces had taken since invasion began nine months ago

By CHRIS MATTHEWS and WILL STEWART and ELENA SALVONI FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 20:21 AEDT, 12 November 2022 | UPDATED: 04:11 AEDT, 13 November 2022

 

Russian troops destroyed a key Ukrainian dam before fleeing Kherson dressed as civilians in the latest humiliation for deranged despot Vladimir Putin.

Incredible footage showed the moment the Nova Kakhovka dam on the Dnipro River was blown up by retreating Russian soldiers.

Alleged war criminal President Putin has suffered 'significant reputational damage' because of the retreat, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

Putin's army was caught on CCTV blowing up the hydroelectric dam before another explosion erupted along the power lines from the dam.

The video will be seen as evidence of deliberate destruction by the Russians as they withdraw from key locations in Kherson.

It is unclear whether soldiers destroyed the bridge as revenge for having to leave the city or whether it was a more tactical move since the dam also has a motorway and railway over the Dnipro River into the Kherson region.

It appears Russia has also destroyed the Antonovsky Bridge, which is the other main crossing point over the Dnipro River into the Kherson Region.

Images showed a large chunk of the bridge collapsed into the water below.

Kherson was one of the first Ukrainian cities captured in the war Moscow waged on its neighbour from February 24. It was the only regional capital Moscow captured in the nine months since Russia's invasion.

The retreat, which was ordered amid a Ukrainian counter-offensive, represents a huge blow to president Russian president Vladimir Putin — who has so far remained silent on the development.

Losing the Kherson region means Russia no longer has uninterrupted land access to Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine in 2014.

As Putin's troops retreated from the region, some have even resorted to dressing up in civilian clothing as they try to escape, the MoD said.

Ukraine liberated the city of Kherson yesterday after eight months under Russian occupation, with soldiers treated to a hero's welcome by jubilant crowds as they arrived in city centre.

President Volodymyr Zelensky declared Kherson 'ours' as Ukrainians liberated it from Russian forces.

An adviser to the Ukrainian defence minister has said there is 'panic' in Russian ranks while Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said the retreat from Kherson marked 'another strategic failure' for Moscow and 'humiliation' for Putin's army.

He said: 'In February, Russia failed to take any of its major objectives except Kherson.

'Now with that also being surrendered, ordinary people of Russia must surely ask themselves: 'What was it all for?'

'The Russian army has suffered a huge loss of life as a result of their illegal invasion and have only achieved international isolationism and humiliation. Ukraine will press on.

'The UK and the international community will continue to support them, and while the withdrawal is welcome, no one is going to underestimate the continuing threat posed by the Russian Federation.'

Russian troops destroy Ukraine dam and then flee Kherson
 
 
 
+108
View gallery
  •  

CCTV shows the moment Putin's army blows up the hydroelectric dam before another explosion erupts along the power lines from the dam

+108
View gallery
 

Pictures released by Maxar Technologies show damage to sections of the northern part of the dam and sluice gates after the explosion

+108
View gallery
 

The Antonovsky Bridge, which is the main route out of Kherson, appears to have been completely destroyed overnight

+108
View gallery
 

The bridge is another key crossing point over the Dnipro River and acts as an entrance and exit to the key strategic city of Kherson

+108
View gallery
 

Russian troops destroyed a key Ukrainian dam before fleeing Kherson dressed as civilians in the latest humiliation for deranged despot Vladimir Putin

+108
View gallery
 

Antonovsky Bridge and Nova Kakhovka Dam were the two main crossing points in the Kherson region over the Dnipro River before they were destroyed by retreating Russian troops

As Zelensky's troops arrived in Kherson's main square hours after the bulk of Moscow's forces fled back across the Dnipro River, flag-waving locals wept, chanted the name of the Ukrainian armed forces and kissed the soldiers.

Ukraine's artillery had pounded the city and river crossings overnight and into the early hours in the hopes of destroying any last Russians trying to flee. Rumours swirled that thousands of troops might be trapped in the city, but as they day wore on those hopes seemed to be ill-founded.

Fears that Russia could be laying some kind of trap also failed to materialise, perhaps suggesting a disinformation campaign to delay the Ukrainian advance long enough for soldiers to get out.

Videos showed Moscow's troops crossing the Dnipro as the sun rose, before they blew up crossing points to stop anyone following.

+108
View gallery
 

It is unclear whether soldiers destroyed the bridge as revenge for having to leave the city or whether it was a more tactical move since the dam also has a motorway and railway over the Dnipro River into the Kherson region

+108
View gallery
 

The dam, which is a key crossing point over the Dnipro River into the Kherson region, was blown up by retreating Russian troops

+108
View gallery
 

Footage of the moment it blew up showed an enormous explosion that destroyed the strategic dam and signalled Russia's ongoing retreat

+108
View gallery
 

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said Russia's retreat from Kherson marks 'another strategic failure' for Moscow.In a statement, he said: 'The Russian army has suffered a huge loss of life as a result of their illegal invasion and have only achieved international isolationism and humiliation'

+108
View gallery
 

He added: 'The UK and the international community will continue to support them, and while the withdrawal is welcome, no one is going to underestimate the continuing threat posed by the Russian Federation'

+108
View gallery
 

Russia said its troops finished withdrawing from the western bank at 5am local time on November 11, paving the way for Ukraine to reclaim more territory

+108
View gallery
 
+108
View gallery
 

Ukrainian civilians cheer, chant, cry and kiss as they welcome troops to the centre of Kherson, with Kyiv's military intelligence saying the city is now under their full control

Centre of Kherson: Locals kiss, hug and cheer their war warriors
 
 

British intelligence analysts believe Moscow's exit from Kherson, a strategically key city, likely started as early as October 22, when Russian-installed figures urged civilians to leave.

Ukraine is retaking large swathes of the Kherson region on the western bank of the Dnipro River, with its forces largely in control of city itself.

Russia said its troops finished withdrawing from the western bank at 5am local time on November 11, paving the way for Ukraine to reclaim more territory.

Videos and pictures posted on social media later showed residents celebrating in the streets, with the Ukrainian flag flying over a central Kherson square.

The country's president Volodymyr Zelensky said 'life is returning'.

Yuriy Sak, an adviser to the Ukrainian defence minister, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'We always believed that we will liberate Kherson.

'And we are confident that now Russians are beginning to believe that they will never be able to win this war.

'We see the panic in their ranks. We see the panic in their propaganda machine.

'But of course, this is a very important moment, but it is too early to relax... because this war is far from over.'

He added: 'At the moment we are quietly optimistic. We are beginning to carry out stabilisation measures in Kherson but of course we understand that there are future battles which we will have to win.'

Volley of missiles 'fired towards Russian forces in Kherson'
 
 
+108
View gallery
  •  

Images showed a large chunk of the bridge was missing after being destroyed overnight, likely by fleeing Russian troops

Russian forces still control about 70 per cent of the wider Kherson region in the wake of the withdrawal.

 

In an intelligence update posted on social media, the MoD said Moscow's troops had 'highly likely' destroyed road and rail bridges over the Dnipro River as part of their retreat.

The exit was formally announced on November 9, but the defence experts said it is likely it started as early as October 22.

'There is a realistic possibility that Russian military equipment and forces in civilian attire had been evacuating in conjunction with the 80,000 stated evacuated civilians in recent weeks,' the MoD said.

It added that it Moscow is probably still trying to evacuate forces from other parts of the region across the river to defensible positions on the eastern bank.

The MoD said: 'Kherson was the only regional capital city captured since February by Russian forces so the withdrawal brings significant reputational damage.

'The withdrawal is a public recognition of the difficulties faced by Russian forces on the west bank of the Dnipro River.

'It is likely that Ukraine has retaken large areas of Kherson oblast on the west bank of the Dnipro River, and that its forces are now largely in control of Kherson city itself.'

The dammed river supplies water to the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

Pro-Russian Colonel Cassad Telegram channel said: 'So far, there is not enough damage for a large flood, but in the course of subsequent hostilities, it cannot be ruled out that it will be [finished off].'

Meanwhile, satellite pictures released by Maxar Technologies show damage to sections of the northern part of the dam and sluice gates at the hydroelectric power plant.

+108
View gallery
 

This satellite image released and collected by Maxar Technologies on November 11 shows an overview of damaged Antonovsky bridge in Kherson

+108
View gallery
 

A satellite image shows destroyed Darivka bridge in Kherson. Images which have emerged show significant damage to several bridges following the hasty withdrawal of Putin's forces

Sky reporter welcomed by Ukrainians after reaching liberated Kherson
 
 
+108
View gallery
  •  

Seized by Russia at the beginning of the war, the Kakhovka dam provides one of the last remaining routes over the Dnipro river in the region

 

The Nova Kakhovka dam's strategic importance

The dam, which is 30 metres tall and 3.2 km long, was built in 1956 on the Dnipro river as part of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant.

It holds an 18 km3 reservoir which, the volume of water in which is about equal to the Great Salt Lake in the U.S. state of Utah.

Seized by Russia at the beginning of the war, the Kakhovka dam provides one of the last remaining routes over the Dnipro river in the region.

It supplies water to the Crimean peninsula, annexed by Russia in 2014, and to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant.

Moscow and Kyiv have exchanged allegations regarding damage done, or expected to be done, to the dam.

Ukraine has said that Russia has mined the dam while Sergei Surovikin, the commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, previously said Kyiv planned to undertake missile strikes on it.

Ukrainian officials said the allegation was a sign that Moscow planned to attack the dam and blame Kyiv.

Analysts from the Institute for the Study of War concluded in late October that such a 'false-flag attack' could work to cover Russia's retreat from Kherson and act as a distraction from its latest battlefield humiliation.

President Zelensky previously said that by blowing the dam, Moscow would be destroying the water supply to Crimea and thus show that Russia had accepted that it could not hold onto the peninsula.

 

The dam was built in 1956 on the Dnipro river as part of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant

 

Russia and Ukraine have repeatedly accused each other of plotting to breach the dam, with Moscow blaming Ukraine for damage to it caused by shelling earlier this month, despite providing no evidence to back these claims.

Two weeks ago, Kremlin propaganda printed threats to mine the area and unleash a 'grandiose water apocalypse' to stop Ukraine's own counter-offensive.

This prompted the head of the Ukrainian presidential office Andriy Yermak to accuse Moscow of resorting to new scare tactics after failing with its 'nuclear blackmail'.

Bursting the Soviet-era the dam could cause severe destruction to Kherson city, which Russia declared it had withdrawn from this morning, and put hundreds of thousands of people living downstream at risk of flooding.

Further images which have emerged show significant damage to several bridges following the hasty withdrawal of Putin's forces from Kherson to the East bank of the Dnipro river.

'Satellite images this morning... reveal significant new damage to several bridges and the Nova Kakhovka dam in the aftermath of the Russian retreat from Kherson across the Dnipro river,' Maxar said in a statement.

President Zelensky declared that Kherson is back in Ukrainian hands following Russia's retreat from the city - the only regional capital Putin's forces had taken since the invasion began.

Jubilant locals wept as they kissed and embraced the first Ukrainian soldiers to arrive in the centre of the Black Sea port, the first major urban hub that fell to Russia.

'Our people. Ours. Kherson,' Zelensky wrote on Telegram as footage showed Ukrainian troops gathering with residents of the city to celebrate the landmark victory on November 11.

In an address to the Ukrainian people, the President said: 'Today is a historic day, we are returning the south of our country, returning Kherson.'

He praised the strength and spirit of the people of Kherson, who he said 'believed in Ukraine' despite the 'threats, repression and abuse of the occupiers'.

The southern city was liberated after nine months under Russian occupation in what has been a major blow for the Kremlin.

Ukrainian soldiers were treated to a hero's welcome by jubilant crowds as they arrived in the city centre throughout the day, with celebrations going on into the night.

An emotional video appears to show locals hoisting a Ukrainian flag on a monument in the city as they support one another and sing together.

Earlier in the day, young men were filmed victoriously cheering as they raised a flag in the city's Freedom Square.

The Ukrainian national anthem rang out in the central Kherson square as a small crowd sang along while huddled around a bonfire, a video published by Ukraine's parliament on social media showed.

Ukrainian troops also reconnected the local television network to Ukrainian broadcasters after retreating Russian forces blew up the television tower and energy facilities, leaving the city without power.

About 30 miles from Kherson, Andriy Zholob, a commander of a medical unit, said they saw 'children running to meet us and greeting us'.

In nearby Mykolaiv province, which Russian forces have failed to capture despite months of attacks, governor Vitaliy Kim said almost the entire region had been returned to Ukrainian control.

Only the Kinburn cape in the south remained under Putin's control.

In Ukraine's capital, the news was met with joy.

Wrapped in flags, popping champagne corks and belting out the Ukrainian national anthem, people from Kherson living in Kyiv gathered in the city's Maidan square to celebrate.

One of them was Artem Lukiv, 41. He said: 'I didn't believe it at first, I thought it was going to take weeks and months, a few hundred metres at a time, and now we see them arrive in Kherson in one day, it's the best surprise.'

While it would appear a major Russian setback, the Kremlin insisted that Kherson was still part of Russia and that it did not regret annexing the entire Kherson region at a lavish ceremony in late September.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: 'This is a subject of the Russian Federation. There are no changes in this and there cannot be changes.'

Zelensky: 'We are returning the south of our country'
 
 
+108
View gallery
 
 

A woman holds up a slogan which reads '11/11/2022 Kherson Ukraine' in Maidan Square, Kyiv, to celebrate the city's liberation

+108
View gallery
 
 

A little girl waves a flag after President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that the city of Kherson is back in Ukrainian hands on Friday

+108
View gallery
 
 

People have gathered in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday night to celebrate the liberation of Kherson after Russia announced the completion of its withdrawal from the southern port city

+108
View gallery
 
 

Celebrations in the capital Kyiv have seen crowds gathering, waving flags and chanting of support for the Ukrainian military

Emotional moment Ukrainians sing anthem as flag is raised in Kherson
 
 

Flag-waving locals wept, chanted the name of the Ukrainian armed forces, hugged and kissed troops as they arrived in the city's main square hours after the bulk of Moscow's forces fled back across the Dnipro River.

Ukraine's artillery had pounded river crossings overnight and into the early hours in the hopes of destroying any last Russians trying to flee.

+108
View gallery
 
 

Local residents cheer and wave a Ukrainian flag on top of a statue at Freedom Square in Kherson following the withdrawal of Russian troops from the regional capital

While Russia said it had withdrawn 30,000 troops across the Dnipro River without losing a single soldier, Ukrainians have described a chaotic retreat and pro-Russian war bloggers have described them coming under heavy fire.

Ukrainian artillery teams had clear views of Russia's routes of retreat and warned: 'Any attempts to oppose the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be stopped.'

Serhii Khlan, the deputy head of Kherson's regional council, disputed the claim that retreating forces took all their equipment with them, saying he was told 'a lot' of hardware got left behind.

Satellite images show the only road route near Kherson across the river, the already damaged Antonovsky bridge, collapsed, with Russian military bloggers saying it was probably blown up as Russian troops withdrew.

Local reports suggested that Russian troops had been forced to retreat via a makeshift bridge nearby.

A large number of Russian soldiers drowned in the river as they tried to escape and others had changed into civilian clothing, Khlan said.

Council member Khlan earlier advised Kherson residents not to leave their homes while searches for remaining Russian troops took place.

Ukraine's defence intelligence agency said Kherson was being restored to Ukrainian control and ordered any remaining Russian troops to surrender to Kyiv's forces entering the city.

Rumours swirled that thousands of troops might still be trapped in the city, but as the day wore on those hopes seemed to be ill-founded.

Fears that Russia could be laying some kind of trap also failed to materialise, perhaps suggesting a disinformation campaign to delay the Ukrainian advance long enough for soldiers to get out.

The withdrawal, in the face of an intense Ukrainian counter-offensive, marks Russia's third major retreat of the war.

As the news settles in of the city's recapture, Ukrainians have been celebrating across the embattled country.

+108
View gallery
 
 

Scenes of jubilation in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv tonight. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kherson was 'ours' after Russia announced the completion of its withdrawal from the regional capital

+108
View gallery
 
 

People gathered tonight in Maidan Square, Kyiv to celebrate the liberation of Kherson, after Russian troops withdrew

+108
View gallery
 
 

Scenes of celebration in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv tonight. President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Kherson was 'ours' after Russia announced the completion of its withdrawal from the regional capital

Videos out of Kherson appear to show locals partying in the streets tonight as they enjoy their first taste of freedom from the Russian occupiers since March.

Amid the celebrations, Mr Khlan said the humanitarian situation there is dire as the occupiers had destroyed key infrastructure. 'The situation with fuel is difficult and there has been no electricity for a week,' he said. Temperatures hit 3C (37F) yesterday, with freezing weather expected to arrive next week.

 

+108
View gallery
 
 

A man waves a flag after President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that the city of Kherson is back in Ukrainian hands on Friday

+108
View gallery
 
 

A child holds a Ukranian flag as people gather in Maidan square, Kyiv, to celebrate the liberation of Kherson

Iryna Osadcha, a 30-year-old Kherson resident, said that she sobbed as she saw Ukrainian soldiers entering the city. 'My emotions cannot be described in words,' she told the Mail. 'I want to thank Britain and the whole world for their help and faith in us.'

Dasha Zarivna, a senior Ukrainian presidential adviser who was born and raised in Kherson, said she was 'extremely emotional to see Ukrainian flags flying over its city centre again'.

'This war is only going one way,' Miss Zarivna said. 'The Russian armed forces and public in general can see this is becoming a historic humiliation. Hopefully the retreat from Kherson will force wiser heads in the Kremlin to seek a pragmatic way out of this disaster that they have got themselves into.'

Celebrations in the capital Kyiv tonight have seen crowds gathering in Maidan Square, or 'Independence Square', waving flags and chanting of support for the military.

Ukrainian troops welcomed back to Kherson after Russia abandoned it
 
 
+108
View gallery
 
+108
View gallery
 

Kherson was the first major city to fall to Russia's troops and the only regional capital they have captured - spending eight months under occupation before being liberated

+108
View gallery
 
 

The Ukrainian flag was flying over Kherson city centre as locals began gathering to welcome Kyiv's troops after Russia said it had completed its withdrawal in the early hours

+108
View gallery
 
 

A young girl carrying the national banner was pictured in the centre of Kherson, as Russia left the city eight months after capturing it during the early weeks of the war

+108
View gallery
 
 

Ukrainian troops were pictured in the outskirts of the city being greeted by jubilant locals, as officials said the entire city is almost under Kyiv's control

+108
View gallery
 
 

Ukrainians gather on the streets of Kherson to await Ukrainian troops who are now moving through the city after Russia completed its retreat in the early hours

Ukrainians allegedly fire on Russians trying to cross Dnipro river
 
 
 
+108
View gallery
  •  
 

Ukrainian rocket artillery unloads on Russian positions near the city of Kherson as Putin's commanders attempt to get their men out of the city using only pontoons and small boats

+108
View gallery
 
+108
View gallery
 

Russia is facing potentially 'huge losses' in Kherson, an expert has warned, with up to 20,000 men surrounded while Ukraine shells the city heavily (left and right) and advances along multiple routes

+108
View gallery
 
 

Ukraine had warned that Russia could be laying a trap for its forces in Kherson, but pressed ahead rapidly with an attack overnight and is now thought to have all-but surrounded the city

+108
View gallery
 
 

A Ukrainian serviceman fires a ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft automatic cannon at a frontline in the Kharkiv region

Ukrainians observe destroyed Russian equipment and tanks

 
 
 
 
+108
View gallery
 
+108
View gallery
 

Ukrainian troops have begun advancing into the area around Kherson city evacuated by Russia mid fears Moscow's men may be laying a trap for them, uncovering destroyed vehicles along their way (left and right)

+108
View gallery
 
+108
View gallery
 

A Russian military vehicle painted with war symbols is seen (left) as Ukrainian troops advance into areas previously held by Moscow's troops, as they appear to withdraw from the region

+108
View gallery
 
 

Kyiv's men are shown liberating the village of Snihurivka, around 30 miles north of Kherson, after Russian forces began retreating from their positions back across the Dnipro River

+108
View gallery
 
 

A Ukrainian soldier based in Kherson takes part in a training exercise as Kyiv's men get ready to advance into the region that Russia has said it is evacuating, amid fears the 'retreat' is actually a trap

+108
View gallery
 
 

Ukrainian soldiers from the 63 brigade train for trench warfare in the northern Kherson region, as they prepare to advance towards the regional capital in the south after Russia said it was evacuating

+108
View gallery
 
 

A Ukrainian tank advances towards the front line in Kherson after Russian commanders said they would be withdrawing, giving up the only regional capital they have taken since the February invasion

+108
View gallery
 
 

A Ukrainian gunner loads high-calibre rounds into the main gun mounted on top of his tank as he prepared to advance in the Kherson region after Russia said it was retreating

Putin 'has been offered surrender terms by the West' as he loses control of Kherson - and 'his cronies have reacted positively because it allows them to stay in power and avoid criminal charges'

Vladimir Putin has been offered surrender terms by the West, a respected Russian policy expert revealed, as Moscow's troops were forced to withdraw from the city of Kherson in yet another humiliating defeat.

Professor Valery Solovey, formerly at Moscow's prestigious Institute of International Relations and who claims to have connections in the Kremlin, said the surrender would see Russia give up all territory in Ukraine with the exception of Crimea, which would become a demilitarised zone and its status would not be discussed again until 2029.

In return, Putin and his cronies would avoid criminal charges over the war and be allowed to remain in power, Professor Solovey claimed.

He said the proposal had been discussed between Kyiv and its Western allies before being presented to Putin's inner circle - who had reacted positively to the idea.

Russia has been calling for a return to the negotiating table in recent days while there have been suggestions that Washington is quietly leaning on Kyiv to do the same.

General Mark Milley, head of the US general staff, said this week that a winter lull in fighting presents an 'opportunity' for talks.

President Zelensky has previously vowed never to negotiate with Russia so long as Putin remains in power.

The news emerged as Ukraine liberated Kherson after eight months of Russian occupation, with troops greeted as heroes after the last of Putin's forces fled. Weeping locals sang, danced, hugged, kissed and chanted victory slogans as Kyiv's soldiers arrived to take back the city - with parties going on into the night.

Russia claimed it had completed the retreat across the Dnipro River without losing a single soldier, but Ukrainians painted a picture of a chaotic retreat, with soldiers ditching their uniforms or drowning while trying to escape.

Solovey said the exact terms of the deal would mean Russia giving up any claim to the rest of the Kherson region, along with Zaporizhzhia, Donetsk and Luhansk - including areas occupied since 2014. Crimea would remain a part of Russia but would be forced to demilitarize, with the Black Sea Fleet relocated.

A 60mile-wide demilitarized zone would be created along the borders between Belarus, Russia and Ukraine with no heavy weapons allowed inside the zone. Russia would also have to give up its military presence in the Transnistria region of Moldova, while Ukraine would pledge not to join NATO for at least seven years.

Six countries have agreed to provide security guarantees underwriting the deal, Solovey claimed, though he did not name them. Guarantees would likely include a pact to come to Ukraine's defence if it were attacked again, and guarantors would likely include Kyiv's closest allies - the US and UK among them.

'If the president declines these conditions which the Russian establishment is ready to accept… then military actions continue,' said Solovey.

'If massive rocket attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure, first of all, power stations, resume, this means that the president does not accept these conditions,' he said.

'If there is no bombing, it does not necessarily mean readiness to accept [the offer to surrender]. It means that the contemplation continues, and an attempt is being made to get some extra time to assess the situation.'

News of a potential Russian surrender comes as Putin's army faces a dire situation on the battlefields of Ukraine.

Having been forced to retreat from Kyiv and Kharkiv, Russia's troops withdrew from Kherson in the south: The only regional capital gained since the start of the war and capital of a region Putin declared to be part of Russia just a few weeks ago.

Moscow's troops are struggling to make any progress in Donbas despite heavy fighting in recent weeks, with the frontline having remained largely static since late July. Russia did attempt a major attack near a town called Pavlivka, in Donetsk, last week but it ended in disaster amid reports of more than 300 marines killed.

Meanwhile Ukraine continues advancing in northern Luhansk where it is now bearing down on the cities of Svatove and Kreminna - strategic waypoints on the way to Severodonetsk and Lysychansk, two cities that Russia spent huge amount of time, effort and blood capturing over the summer.

Losing Kherson means any Russian assault on Odesa is now all-but impossible. It also means that Ukraine can now strike parts of Crimea - the crown jewel of his last invasion, in 2014 - with long-range artillery. Kyiv has already said it plans to take the peninsula back.

 

'Kherson returns under control of Ukraine,' Kyiv's military intelligence directorate said on Friday afternoon, telling any Russian troops left in the city to give themselves up immediately or risk being destroyed.

The loss of Kherson represents a major defeat for Putin and his armed forces. It was the sole regional capital captured by his army since the invasion began, and sits in a region he declared to be part of Russia just a few weeks ago.

Losing Kherson means any Russian assault on Odesa is now all-but impossible. It also means that Ukraine can now strike parts of Crimea - the crown jewel of Russia's last invasion, in 2014 - with long-range artillery. Kyiv has already said it plans to take the peninsula back.

Russia is now thought to have taken up defensive positions on the eastern bank of the Dnipro comprising three lines made up of trenches and canals, covered by artillery and backed by reinforcements from Crimea.

Western officials briefing journalists last week said they do not expect Ukraine to begin an offensive across the Dnipro any time soon.

However, Western military and diplomatic sources cautioned that the Russian military move did not mean all was said and done - even if it was a major victory for Ukraine.

'It's definitely a turning point, but it doesn't mean that Russia has lost or that Ukraine has won,' said Ben Barry, a senior fellow for land warfare at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.

'Russia was still capable of a new offensive or counterattacks. It is far too soon to write them off,' Barry said.

Ukrainian forces have liberated 41 settlements as they advanced through the south, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his Thursday evening video address.

Sappers and pyrotechnicians were going into areas retaken from Russian forces to rid them of thousands of unexploded landmines and ordnance they left behind, he said.

About 170,000 square kilometres (66,000 square miles) remained to be de-mined, Zelensky said, including in places where there was still fighting and 'where the enemy will add landmines before its withdrawal, as is the case now with Kherson.'

The region's Ukrainian-appointed governor, Yaroslav Yanushevych, writing on the Telegram messaging app, said Russian troops had 'taken away public equipment, damaged power lines and wanted to leave a trap behind them'.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Zelensky, said Russia wanted to turn Kherson into a 'city of death', mining everything from apartments to sewers and planning to shell the city from the other side of the river.

A small group of Ukrainian soldiers was shown on Ukraine's state TV being greeted by joyous residents in the centre of the village of Snihurivka, around 55 km (35 miles) north of Kherson city, with a Ukrainian flag fluttering above the square behind them. Reuters verified the location of the video.

A few kilometres away, in a devastated frontline village reached by Reuters in an area already held by Ukrainian forces, the guns had fallen silent for what residents said was the first quiet night since the war began.

'We hope the silence means the Russians are leaving,' said Nadiia Nizarenko, 85. The Russians could be preparing a trap, said Nizarenko's daughter, Svitlana Lischeniuk, 63.

Still, there was joy. Petro Lupan, a volunteer distributing bread to residents, said he could not find words to express his feelings after he learned of the recapture of Snihurivka.

In the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, 54-year-old Larysa, who had recently fled Kherson to reach Ukrainian-held territory, said she could not reach family in the area.

'We tried contacting them... but there was no connection. We don't even know... the fate of our relatives.'

'We've lived in the occupied territories for eight months. The situation there is difficult, especially psychologically. Our village is full of armed Russian soldiers... It is a miracle that we got out... There were tears of happiness when I saw our Ukrainian flag and our soldiers.'

Russian state media and pro-Kremlin war hawks defended the withdrawal from Kherson as a necessary move while acknowledging a heavy blow.

The retreat would leave Moscow with only limited gains to show for a 'special military operation' that made it a pariah in the West and, according to a U.S. estimate, has killed or wounded some 100,000 Russian soldiers.

Facing losses on the battlefield, Moscow has opened up the possibility of peace negotiations with Kyiv - something the US is said to be quietly pressing for behind the scenes.

American diplomats were said to view the expected slow-down of fighting between the two sides over winter as an opportunity to open up discussions, NBC reported yesterday.

General Mark Milley, chief of the generals staff, backed the idea - saying winter will provide 'a window of opportunity for negotiation' provided both sides can agree that victory is not possible by military means.

+108
View gallery
 
 

A woman is comforted by servicemen as she cries at the scene of night shelling in Mykolaiv, Ukraine

+108
View gallery
 
 

Ukrainian Emergency Service rescuers carry the body of a victim found under rubble at the scene of shelling in Mykolaiv

+108
View gallery
 
 

Police inspect a dead body at the scene of night shelling in Mykolaiv,

+108
View gallery
 
 

Ukrainian Emergency Service rescuers work at the scene of a building damaged by night shelling in Mykolaiv

+108
View gallery
 
 

Rescuers work at a site of a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian missile attack in Mykolaiv

However, a conflicting report in the New York Times said that European officials were briefing that serious negotiations between the two sides are 'unlikely in the near future.'

President Zelensky, speaking last night, said the onus is on the Russian side to prove they are genuine about negotiations and he sees 'no desire' in Putin to end the fighting.

'When Russia truly wants peace, we will definitely feel it and see it,' he said.

'But you can't wish for peace with words alone – words are not enough. Stop the war, withdraw from our territory, stop killing people, start reimbursing the damages inflicted on our country. Criminals must be prosecuted. Words are not enough.'

Zelensky said after the annexation of four partially occupied regions of Ukraine to Russia that he will never negotiate with Putin, and will instead hold talks with 'the next Russian leader'.

He reiterated that determination last night, saying that Putin has done nothing but issue ultimatums to Ukraine since the start of the war - and shows no sign of changing his stance.

Zelensky added: 'It is only the Kremlin and only one person – the head of the Russian Federation – who is not tired of the war. [Putin] might be tired of life in principle, because of his age, but he is definitely not tired of the war.'

 

Banksy goes to Ukraine: Graffiti artist paints new work of gymnast doing a handstand on block of flats shattered by Russian shelling

BY LAURENCE DOLLIMORE FOR MAILONLINE

Banksy is in Ukraine, it has emerged, after the British artist confirmed his latest work on a destroyed building near Kyiv.

In the piece, a female gymnast can be seen balancing on her hands on rubble at the bottom of a an apartment building, which has been completely gutted by Russian shelling.

Speculation had been mounting that the anonymous graffiti icon was in the war-torn country after a series of murals appeared in the town of Borodyanka, about an hour's drive north-west of the capital.

One mural depicted a man resembling Russian President Vladimir Putin being flipped during a judo match with a little boy.

Another showed two children using a metal tank trap as a seesaw, while a separate piece in nearby Irpin showed a rhythmic gymnast waving a ribbon while wearing a neck brace.

However, the mural which Banksy chose to share with his 11.1million Instagram followers is that of the female gymnast balancing on a damaged building.

The graffiti artist posted three images of the mural on Friday, with the caption simply reading 'Borodyanka, Ukraine.'

It has since received more than 1.3million 'likes' and more than 14,000 comments.

+108
View gallery
 
 

In the piece, a female gymnast can be seen balancing on her hands on rubble at the bottom of a an apartment building in Borodyanka, which has been completely gutted by Russian shelling

+108
View gallery
 
 

Speculation had been mounting that the anonymous graffiti icon was in the war-torn country after a series of murals appeared in the town, which is about an hour's drive north-west of the capital (Pictured: Artwork of gymnast confirmed by Banksy)

+108
View gallery
 
 

Russian soldiers invaded in February of this year, occupying the town for weeks before it was liberated in April (Pictured: Destroyed apartment building featuring Banksy artwork)

Borodyanka was one of the towns hardest hit by Russia's bombardment at the beginning of the invasion.

Russian soldiers invaded in February of this year, occupying the town for weeks before it was liberated in April.

Since then, the town has been the focus of reconstruction efforts, with several tower blocks demolished as a result of damage caused by the fighting.

It comes as President Volodymyr Zelensky has declared that the city of Kherson is back in Ukrainian hands following Russia's retreat from the key battleground - the only regional capital Putin's forces had taken since the invasion began.

Jubilant locals wept as they kissed and embraced the first Ukrainian soldiers to arrive in the centre of the Black Sea port, the first major urban hub that fell to Russia.

+108
View gallery
 
 

One mural in the town depicts a man resembling Russian President Vladimir Putin being flipped during a judo match with a little boy. Banksy has not confirmed if the artwork is his

+108
View gallery
 
 

A rhythmic gymnast waving a ribbon while wearing a neck brace is among the other artworks near Kyiv which sparked rumours that Banksy was in town. He has yet to claim the piece as his

'Our people. Ours. Kherson,' Zelensky wrote on Telegram as footage showed Ukrainian troops gathering with residents of the city to celebrate the landmark victory.

In an address to the Ukrainian people, the President said: 'Today is a historic day, we are returning the south of our country, returning Kherson.'

He praised the strength and spirit of the people of Kherson, who he said 'believed in Ukraine' despite the 'threats, repression and abuse of the occupiers'.

The southern city was liberated after nine months under Russian occupation in what has been a major blow for the Kremlin.

Ukrainian soldiers were treated to a hero's welcome by jubilant crowds as they arrived in the city centre throughout the day, with celebrations going on into the night.

An emotional video appears to show locals hoisting a Ukrainian flag on a monument in the city as they support one another and sing together.

+108
View gallery
 
 

People wave a Ukrainian flag in Kyiv, the country's capital, to celebrate the liberation of Kherson on Friday

+108
View gallery
 
 

A woman holds up a slogan which reads '11/11/2022 Kherson Ukraine' in Maidan Square, Kyiv, to celebrate the city's liberation

Earlier in the day, young men were filmed victoriously cheering as they raised a flag in the city's Freedom Square.

The withdrawal, in the face of an intense Ukrainian counter-offensive, marks Russia's third major retreat of the war.

As the news settles in of the city's recapture, Ukrainians have been celebrating across the embattled country.

Videos out of Kherson appear to show locals partying in the streets tonight as they enjoy their first taste of freedom from the Russian occupiers since March.

Amid the celebrations, Mr Khlan said the humanitarian situation there is dire as the occupiers had destroyed key infrastructure. 'The situation with fuel is difficult and there has been no electricity for a week,' he said. Temperatures hit 3C (37F) yesterday, with freezing weather expected to arrive next week.

Happy and proud Ukrainians celebrate victory over Kherson
 
 

Nevertheless, victory parades started to break out after it had become clear that Russia no longer controlled the city.

'Glory to Ukraine! Glory to Heroes,' shouted one man in a video circulating on social media, a slogan first used by the country's military as a greeting during Ukraine's 1917-1921 war of independence.

Iryna Osadcha, a 30-year-old Kherson resident, said that she sobbed as she saw Ukrainian soldiers entering the city. 'My emotions cannot be described in words,' she told the Mail. 'I want to thank Britain and the whole world for their help and faith in us.'

Dasha Zarivna, a senior Ukrainian presidential adviser who was born and raised in Kherson, said she was 'extremely emotional to see Ukrainian flags flying over its city centre again'.

'This war is only going one way,' Miss Zarivna said. 'The Russian armed forces and public in general can see this is becoming a historic humiliation. Hopefully the retreat from Kherson will force wiser heads in the Kremlin to seek a pragmatic way out of this disaster that they have got themselves into.'

 

Incredible moment wives of mobilised Russian troops who hid under CORPSES to survive massacre find the men near Ukraine frontline and demand their commanders send them home

BY WILL STEWART FOR MAILONLINE

This is the emotional moment wives of mobilised Russian men - who 'hid under corpses to survive' - travelled close to the frontline to find their retreating husbands and demand commanders return them home from Putin's war hell.

Up to 70 women had set off on foot from Belgorod to occupied Luhansk region in search of their spouses following a 'massacre' blamed on inept senior officers.

Some of the wives reached the men - who have pulled back from the frontline - and confronted commanders who have so far refused to permit them to leave the war zone.

The women from Kursk region accuse army chiefs of abandoning their husbands after 'only around 30 men survived' from one group of 200 men.

'We won't leave them,' a woman is heard telling an officer in Starobelsk.

'We don't trust you anymore.'

Not all the men made it out of the killing zone, with some hiding in abandoned houses in Golubovka, it was reported.

Russian women challenge army commanders to return their husbands
 
 
+108
View gallery
  •  
 

Desperate Russian wives have confronted army chiefs after from Belgorod to occupied Luhansk region to find their husbands

+108
View gallery
 
+108
View gallery
 

One wife, Svetlana Gorbatenko (pictured left and right), who is pregnant, said: 'We have very bad weather. We are already frozen, and with fog, but we will move, we will not give up'

The women have complained to military prosecutors at how one commander named Samvel Yurievich 'tied the soldiers' hands and feet, and put weapons to their heads, forcing them to go into battle, calling them cowards'.

They also said that the men were fired on by their own artillery.

At the reunion with the wives, an officer is heard telling the men with the women present: 'I'm saying one more time, I have an order to deliver [you] to an assembly point where you will be talked to.

'You all are servicemen, you should understand and comprehend that.'

The women tell the officer that they will not leave the men.

'We we already sent them away once,' said one.

'Sent them off and see how many returned.

'Look how many are left.'

Recent days have seen a dramatic rise in women protesting about the war.

+108
View gallery
 
 

Up to 70 women had set off on foot from Belgorod to occupied Luhansk region in search of their spouses following a 'massacre' blamed on inept senior officers

+108
View gallery
 
+108
View gallery
 

Some of the wives reached the men - who have pulled back from the frontline - and confronted commanders who have so far refused to permit them to leave the war zone

+108
View gallery
 
 

The women from Kursk region accuse army chiefs of abandoning their husbands after 'only around 30 men survived' from one group of 200 men

TV Rain reported that the battalion commander 'forced those who returned from the shelling to go back into battle'.

'The women complained to the military prosecutor's office, but they were told there that their husbands would not be taken out.'

One wife called Anna said the men had been 'hiding under the corpses [of comrades] so they wouldn't be found.

'There were a lot of wounded people there, they walked through the forest, carrying the wounded'.

Earlier the defiant women had been seen walking towards the frontline.

One wife, Svetlana Gorbatenko, who is pregnant, said: 'We have very bad weather.

'We are already frozen, and with fog, but we will move, we will not give up.'

The men are survivors from a notorious fight at Makiivka where up to 500 perished, it is believed.

 

Putin orders a new batch of hypersonic 6,670mph nuclear-capable Zircon missiles that Russians boast is 'unstoppable' to Western air defences

BY WILL STEWART FOR MAILONLINE

Vladimir Putin has put in a new order for dozens of cutting-edge hypersonic Zircon nuclear-capable missiles, which travel at speeds of nearly 7,000mph, it was revealed today.

The Mach 9 weapon - known in Russia as 'Tsirkon' - is due to be 'in service' this year.

The Russian president has poured money into developing new nuclear-capable missiles which - he claims - are 'unstoppable' by Western air defences.

'The first contract for the production of a batch of Tsirkons was signed in the summer of 2021,' a source close to the Russian defence ministry said.

'An additional contract - [was signed] this autumn.'

The new order has not been officially announced, but reports of it were carried by state news agency TASS.

The latest contract will see the delivery of 'several dozen' Zircon 6,670 mph missiles in 2023, the source added.

+108
View gallery
 
 

Vladimir Putin has put in a new order for dozens of cutting-edge hypersonic Zircon nuclear-capable missiles (pictured during a test in July), which travel at speeds of nearly 7,000mph

+108
View gallery
 
 

The Zircon will be deployed on Russian frigates (like the Admiral Gorshkov- pictured) and, later, on submarines

MAY 2022: Putin orders launch of Zircon hypersonic missile
 
 
 

A series of tests have been conducted on the missile, which has been seen fired from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate.

On May 28 a missile fired from the warship in the Barents Sea hit a target some 625 miles away in the White Sea.

Today's announcement comes amid doubts over whether Putin's new big beast Satan-2 - or Sarmat - will be deployed in the timescale the Russian government had boasted.

A second test of the 15,880mph Satan-2 hypersonic missile 'may' come before the end of the year, Russia announced this week.

Yet, earlier, it had been the Kremlin's intention that the huge new missile would be fully deployed with its forces before the start of 2023.

Putin is seen as short of multiple missile types for his war with Ukraine.

Despite this, along with his officials and state media, he has threatened to use nuclear weapons.

The Zircon is seen as much closer to deployment.

Eleven months ago, Putin announced a 'flawless' salvo launch involving the Zircon.

In January, deputy defence minister Alexey Kryvoruchko said: 'The state tests of the Zircon sea-based hypersonic cruise missile are nearing completion.

'From 2022, serial deliveries will begin.'

+108
View gallery
 
 

The Mach 9 weapon - known in Russia as 'Tsirkon' - is due to be 'in service' this year. Pictured: computer images of the missile and its launch

+108
View gallery
 
 

Vladimir Putin (pictured) has poured money into developing new nuclear-capable missiles which - he claims - are 'unstoppable' by Western air defences

The Zircon will be deployed on Russian frigates and, later, on submarines.

Earlier it was identified by Moscow's state-controlled TV as Putin's weapon of choice to wipe out American cities in the event of an atomic conflict.

Putin has hailed 'our newest [Zircon] missiles fired from the sea at sea targets, and land targets'.

'The tests were carried out successfully, flawlessly,' he added.

'This is a big event for our country, a significant step in improving Russia's security, in increasing (our) defence capability.'

He said it was in 'serial production', calling the weapon 'truly unparalleled … in the world'.

JAN 2022: Putin orders launch of Zircon hypersonic missile
 
 
+108
View gallery
  •  
 

There are doubts over whether Putin's new big beast Satan-2 intercontinental ballistic missile (pictured during test launch on April 20, 2022) will be deployed in the timescale the Russian government had boasted

TV Zvezda - a channel owned by the Russian defence ministry - said: 'The speed of the Zircon hypersonic missile is so high that it prevents the opponent's air defence system from detecting its impact in time.

'In fact, its launch will be known only after the target has been hit.'

The missile has a 'variable trajectory' to avoid detection, viewers were told.

The captain of the Admiral Gorshkov frigate Igor Krokhmal said previously: 'No one will see the missile launch or its flight.

'They will only see when the missile hits the target.

'A surface target, a coastal target. I don't think there will be anything to counter this in the next few years.'

 

Advancing Ukraine soldiers uncover new torture chamber as Putin's thugs are accused of fresh war crimes

BY CHRIS MATTHEWS FOR MAILONLINE

Ukrainian soldiers uncovered a torture chamber after they liberated Mykolaiv and Kherson from Russian troops on Friday.

It is the latest evidence to suggest Putin's thugs are responsible for war crimes during Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine.

A makeshift Russian prison used to torture and interrogate Ukrainian dissidents was filmed on fire in Kherson last night after the area was liberated by President Zelensky's troops.

Investigators also uncovered three skeletons with fractured skulls in a cellar in the town of Berislav, Kherson.

Ukraine's office for the Prosecutor General said the bodies were of three civilians who were living in the Kherson region and died during the Russian occupation.

Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warned that while many were celebrating as Putin's forces were beaten back from the region, the war was not over and Ukrainian troops would likely uncover more horrors.

+108
View gallery
 
 

A torture chamber was uncovered by advancing Ukrainian troops in Mykolaiv, which borders the Kherson region

+108
View gallery
 
 

War crimes investigators also found three skeletons with skull fractures in a cellar in Kherson

Pre-trial detention centre in Kherson, Ukraine, catches fire
 
 
+108
View gallery
  •  
 

A part of uniform is seen at a former position of Russian soldiers in the village of Blahodatne, retaken by the Ukrainian Armed Forces a day ago

+108
View gallery
 
 

A basement where Russian soldiers lived at a former position in the village of Blahodatne showed how Putin's army had ditched their kit and even equipment as they fled the region

+108
View gallery
 
 

A pair of combat trousers was seen discarded on a tree in the village of Blahodatne in the Kherson region

He said: 'We are winning battles on the ground, but the war continues.

'Every time we liberate a piece of our territory from Russian army we find torture rooms and mass graves with civilians tortured and murdered by Russian army.'

He added: 'It's not easy to speak with people like this. But I said that every war ends with diplomacy and Russia has to approach talks in good faith.'

Basements where Russian soldiers lived at a former position in the village of Blahodatne showed how Putin's army had ditched their kit and even equipment as they fled the region.

Blahodatne was retaken by the Ukrainian Armed Forces a day ago, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine in the Kherson region.

The National Police chief of Ukraine, Ihor Klymenko, said Saturday on Facebook that about 200 officers were at work in the city, setting up checkpoints and documenting evidence of possible war crimes.

Police teams also were working to identify and neutralize unexploded ordnance and one sapper was wounded Saturday while demining an administrative building, Klymenko said.

Roman Holovnya, an adviser to Kherson's mayor said humanitarian aid and supplies had begun to arrive from the neighboring Mykolaiv region.

+108
View gallery
 
 

Putin's soldiers left behind clothes and weapons as they fled the area with the Russian army

+108
View gallery
 
 

Clothes were pictured tossed on stained mattresses in the concrete basement in the village of Blahodatne on Friday

He described the situation in Kherson as 'a humanitarian catastrophe.'

He said the remaining residents lacked water, medicine and food and key basics like bread went unbaked because a lack of electricity.

'The occupiers and collaborators did everything possible so that those people who remained in the city suffered as much as possible over those days, weeks, months of waiting' for Ukraine's forces to arrive, Holovnya said. 'Water supplies are practically nonexistent.'

Investigations by the US this week showed Russia's war in Ukraine may already have killed or wounded tens of thousands of civilians and hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

Satellite images of Mariupol, which is in the Donetsk region of Ukraine in the east of the country, showed a larger number of additional graves have been added to the city's cemetery between March 24 and October 14.

Mariupol City Council said there is now a 21st mass grave in the city's cemetery as they released footage of the area.

SLIDE ME

A March 24 satellite photo (left) shows an area of a cemetery just northwest of Mariupol, Ukraine. Another satellite photo on October 14 (right) showed a rapid expansion of the cemetery in the months after Russian forces seized the port city on the Sea of Azov

Mass graves in Mariupol cemetery in Crimea
 
 
+108
View gallery
 
 

Investigations by the US this week showed Russia's war in Ukraine may already have killed or wounded tens of thousands of civilians and hundreds of thousands of soldiers

+108
View gallery
 
 

Mariupol City Council said there is now a 21st mass grave in the city's cemetery as they released footage of the area

+108
View gallery
 
 

The City Council said: 'Mariupol residents still bury their relatives and thousands still do not know where their relatives and friends are buried. Others are missing. This is our common pain'

The City Council said: 'The Mariupol Cemetery is getting bigger and bigger.

'Even a new sector of mass graves has already appeared — number 21.

'Russian invaders brought death and destruction to our city.

'Mariupol residents still bury their relatives and thousands still do not know where their relatives and friends are buried.

'Others are missing. This is our common pain.'

A team from the UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine has already investigated alleged war crimes in Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy, finding evidence of sexual abuse, executions, bombing of civilian areas and torture.

Children as young as four have been raped and tortured by Putin's thugs in Ukraine, the UN experts claimed.

+108
View gallery
 
 

Last night a blaze raged at a makeshift Russian prison used to detain and torture Ukrainian dissidents

+108
View gallery
 
 

The detention centre was abandoned when Russian troops fled Kherson in a humiliating setback for Vladimir Putin

They cited testimonies by former detainees of beatings, electric shocks and forced nudity in Russian detention facilities.

An unspecified number of Russian soldiers were found to have committed crimes of sexual or gender-based violence - with victims ranging in age from four to 82 years old, Erik Mose, the commission's chairman, told the Human Rights Council.

He said the team was 'struck by the large number of executions in the areas that we visited', and the frequent 'visible signs of executions on bodies, such as hands tied behind backs, gunshot wounds to the head, and slit throats'.

He said: 'Based on the evidence gathered by the commission, it has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine.'

+108
View gallery
 
 
 

Investigators carry a body bag past multiple corpses on the forest floor, near Izyum, eastern Ukraine, on September 23

+108
View gallery
 
 
 

A worker carries a cross during a burial ceremony for unidentified persons killed in the Bucha district

+108
View gallery
 
 

A visibly emotional President Volodymyr Zelensky stood motionless as he surveyed the scene of utter devastation he encountered in the town of Bucha on April 4, with dozens of bodies shot at close range laying on the empty streets

Visibly distressed Zelensky speaks to press on streets of Bucha
 
 
+108
View gallery
  •  
 

Dead bodies litter the streets of Bucha, a suburb of the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, after Russian forces withdrew from the region

+108
View gallery
 
 

A van with 'children' written on it - intended as a warning to Russian troops - is seen riddled with bullet holes in Bucha

+108
View gallery
 
 

Russian forces, which occupied areas to the west of Kyiv since the early days of the war, withdrew at the weekend

 

Bucha mother opens shallow grave of daughter shot by Russian soldier
 
 

In September Ukrainian officials said 436 bodies were exhumed from a mass burial site in Izium, 30 of them with visible signs of torture.

The governor of the Kharkiv region, Oleh Synyehubov, and the region's police chief, Volodymyr Tymoshko, said three more grave sites have been located in areas retaken by Ukrainian forces in a counteroffensive this month

During their 10-day June trip to Ukraine, the UN team visited Bucha, a city outside Kyiv where Ukrainian authorities found mass graves and bodies strewn in the streets after Russian forces pulled out in late March.

The findings echo reports of the destruction, death and despair in Ukraine since tyrant Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian invasion on February 24.

Share or comment on this article:

Russian troops DESTROY Ukraine dam then flee Kherson dressed as CIVILIANS