First Ukrainian troops cheer as they reach Kherson’s main square following Russian withdrawal

Credit: Armed Forces Of Ukraine/Cover ImagesThis video shows Ukrainians celebrating and greeting the first troops to arrive in the central Freedom Square in Kherson on Friday (11November2022). Russian forces took the city in the early days of its invasion of its neighbour in February, the only regional capital they managed to successfully occupy. The Kherson Oblast was one of four in Ukraine Vladimir Putin announced he was annexing in September - but on Wednesday (09November2022) Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu announced Russian troops would pull back from its capital on to the left bank of the Dnipro river. Reports had indicated some Ukrainian troops have made it to the city’s outskirts but President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that his forces will be cautious in advancing. However, just days later the first members of the country’s armed forces were seen entering the city. Initially, following Russia’s occupation of Kherson, demonstrations against Russian rule were held in the square but these died down as the Russian Army’s presence in Kherson drew on.