Ukraine-Russia news - live: Zelensky hails Kherson withdrawal as ‘beginning of end of war’

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has triumphantly walked the streets of the newly liberated city of Kherson, hailing Russia’s withdrawal as the “beginning of the end of the war”.

But he also acknowledged the heavy price Ukrainian troops are paying in their grinding effort to push back the invaders.

The retaking of Kherson was one of Ukraine’s biggest successes in the nearly nine-month-old war, dealing another stinging blow to the Kremlin. It could serve as a springboard for more advances into occupied territory.

US president Joe Biden called it a “significant victory” for Ukraine. “I can do nothing but applaud the courage, determination and capacity of the Ukrainian people, the Ukrainian military,” he said on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin has proposed stripping Russian citizens of their passports for criticising the war in Ukraine.

The new crackdown on dissent also would see Russians who spread “fake news” or question the country’s annexation of large parts of Ukraine lose their citizenship, according to Kremlin-owned new agency Ria Novosti.

Key points

• Can feel Ukraine’s victory in war approaching, says Zelensky

• Russia’s troops left behind in Kherson ‘pose as civilians’

• Russian soldiers loot and steal from Kherson as they retreat

• Ukrainian president addresses troops in Kherson

• Russian retreat from Kherson is the ‘beginning of the end of the war'

US sanctions non-Russians linked to military suppliers

18:48 , Joe Middleton

The U.S. said Monday it was imposing sanctions on a list of people and firms around the globe that it alleged are involved in supporting Russia‘s military as it wages war on Ukraine.

Unlike recent packages of sanctions imposed on Russia-based firms and people, the latest financial and diplomatic penalties are aimed at a range of entities including French real estate companies, a group of Swiss nationals and a Taiwanese microelectronic component purchaser.

They are all accused of being financial facilitators or enablers of Russia’s military supply chain, which U.S. officials committed to disrupting after the invasion of Ukraine began in February.

US sanctions non-Russians linked to military suppliers

Russian soldiers steal racoon as they flee Kherson, Ukraine officials claim

18:01 , Joe Middleton

Rishi Sunak brands Russia a ‘pariah state’ ahead of encounter with Putin’s minister

17:40 , Joe Middleton

Prime minister Rishi Sunak today condemned Russia as a “pariah state”, as he prepared to deliver a rebuke to a member of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle over the invasion of Ukraine.

Britain will continue to support the Ukrainians in defending themselves against Russian aggression, and to help put Kyiv in a position of strength for when they feel the time is right for peace talks, he said.

Mr Sunak will be the first UK PM since the invasion began in February to speak directly to a Russian representative when he confronts Putin’s foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, when they come face to face around the conference table at the G20 summit in Indonesia on Tuesday.

Rishi Sunak brands Russia a ‘pariah state’ ahead of encounter with Putin’s minister

Rishi Sunak to use G20 to 'unequivocally condemn' Ukraine-Russia war

17:14 , Joe Middleton

Russia adds 100 Canadians to sanctions list

16:52 , Joe Middleton

Russia on Monday barred entry to 100 Canadians in retaliation for Ottawa’s exclusion of Russian citizens, the latest wave of a long series of tit-for-tat expulsions from Russia and Western countries over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Canadians added to its sanctions list included officials, business leaders and people involved with “media and financial structures that are directly involved in the formation of an aggressive anti-Russian course”.

The list included Danielle Smith, premier of the province of Alberta, managers at Volatus Aerospace Corp, a handful of correspondents at the public broadcaster CBC and several members of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation as well as other politicians, commentators, industrialists and activists.

Reuters

Zelenskyy hails freedom in Russian-free region of Kherson

16:20 , Joe Middleton

Sunak to ‘unequivocally condemn’ Russia’s war in Ukraine at G20 summit

16:00 , Joe Middleton

Rishi Sunak will “unequivocally condemn” Russia’s war in Ukraine at the G20 summit but appeared to acknowledge that the group was divided on the issue of explicitly criticising the invasion.

The Prime Minister touched down in Bali, Indonesia, on Monday ahead of the two-day gathering of leaders of the world’s major economies.

The event looks set to be dominated by the fallout from the Ukraine war, which has exacerbated global economic challenges, pushing up food and energy prices around the world.

Sunak to ‘unequivocally condemn’ Russia’s war in Ukraine at G20 summit

President Zelensky visits recaptured city of Kherson after Russian retreat

15:30 , Joe Middleton

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky called the Russian withdrawal from Kherson “the beginning of the end of the war” as he made a surprise tour of the recaptured southern city on Monday.

Addressing crowds of residents who chanted “glory to Ukraine”, President Zelensky declared the recapturing of the city as a huge victory for the country during a nine-month war.

“It is the biggest city which now is free... and so I am happy,” he said, from the main square outside the administrative capital.

Bel Trew reports from Kherson.

President Zelensky visits recaptured city of Kherson after Russian retreat

Watch: Kherson withdrawal is 'the beginning of the end for Putin', says former Russian PM

14:57 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

CIA chief in Ankara meeting with Russian counterpart, US official says

14:31 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

US Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns is in Ankara to speak with his Russian intelligence counterpart to convey a message on consequences of any use of nuclear weapons by Russia, a White House official said on Monday.

“He is not conducting negotiations of any kind. He is not discussing settlement of the war in Ukraine,” said the official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, adding that Burns will also raise the cases of detained Americans in Russia.

The U.S.-Russian contact in Turkey was first reported by Russia‘s Kommersant newspaper. It cited an unidentified source as saying that Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia‘s SVR foreign intelligence service, would attend the talks.

Ties between Washington and Moscow have fallen to their worst in decades since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in February. Threats by Russian President Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine war have fueled worries about escalation.

“We have been very open about the fact that we have channels to communicate with Russia on managing risk, especially nuclear risk and risks to strategic stability,” the White House official said, adding that Ukraine was briefed on the trip in advance.

News emerged this month that U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan has engaged in confidential talks with senior Russian officials, aimed at lowering the risk of a broader war over Ukraine.

The State Department also said the two sides were expected to meet soon and discuss resuming inspections under the New START nuclear arms reduction treaty that have been paused since before Russia‘s invasion.

President Zelensky visits recaptured city of Kherson after Russian retreat

14:03 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky called the Russian withdrawal from Kherson “the beginning of the end of the war” as he made a surprise tour of the recaptured southern city on Monday.

Addressing crowds of residents who chanted “glory to Ukraine”, President Zelensky declared the recapturing of the city as a huge victory for the country during a nine-month war.

“It is the biggest city which now is free... and so I am happy,” he said, from the main square outside the administrative capital.

“We are moving forward. We are ready for peace, peace for all our country.”

Bel Trew reports from Kherson:

President Zelensky visits recaptured city of Kherson after Russian retreat

‘How can we rebuild?’: Ukrainians return home to wreckage and tragedy in liberated Mykolaiv

13:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Bent double with grief, Serhiy, 66, picks through the remains of his destroyed village that just two days ago was zero point in the front line of Russia’s invasion of southern Ukraine.

He is on his first trip back to Kobzartsi, in the Mykolaiv region, since March after being critically injured in a round of shelling. His wife had just died in a heart attack brought on by the ferocious round of bombardment which nearly killed him, Bel Trew writes.

The village next door, Snihurivka, had been occupied by Russian forces for eight months, morphing into an important logistics hub and an anchor for the Russian defensive lines there.

And so Ukraine’s artillery brigades had been stationed around Kobzarsi, and until last week had been locked in a ferocious and grinding artillery battle with Russian soldiers who had flattened swathes of the village.

Read more:

‘How can we rebuild?’: Ukrainians return home to wreckage after Russians retreat

Russia denies foreign minister Lavrov was taken to hospital in Bali

13:20 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov was taken to hospital after suffering a health problem following his arrival for the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesian authorities said.

Four Indonesian government and medical officials said Mr Lavrov, 72, received treatment at the Sanglah Hospital in the provincial capital, Denpasar.

Two of those people said Mr Lavrov had been treated for a heart condition.

The hospital did not immediately comment.

But Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova later denied that Mr Lavrov had been hospitalised but did not address whether he had received treatment.

She posted a video of Mr Lavrov, looking healthy in a T-shirt and shorts, in which he was asked to comment on the report of his treatment.

“They’ve been writing about our president for 10 years that he’s fallen ill. It’s a game that is not new in politics,” Mr Lavrov says in the video.

Russia‘s state news agency Tass cited Mr Lavrov as saying: “I’m in the hotel, reading materials for the summit tomorrow.”

Mr Lavrov is the highest-ranking Russian official at the gathering, which US President Joe Biden, China’s Xi Jinping and other leaders are attending.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attendance at the G20 had been uncertain until last week, when officials confirmed he would not come and that Russia would be represented by Mr Lavrov instead.

Fallout from Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine is expected to be among the issues discussed at the two-day G20 meeting, which brings together officials from countries representing more than 80% of the world’s economic output.

New crackdown on Russian dissent

13:10 , Katy Clifton

Vladimir Putin has proposed measures to revoke the passports of naturalised Russian citizens who criticise the war in Ukraine.

Loss of citizenship has also been threatened for those who spread “fake news”, criticise the army or call into question Russia’s annexation of large parts of Ukraine, Liam James reports.

Read more below:

Putin to seize passports from Russians who criticise Ukraine war

Why did Russia invade Ukraine and what could happen next?

13:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia’s “special military operation” has been raging for almost nine months as the conflict records devastating casualties as well as the displacement of millions of Ukrainians.

President Vladimir Putin began the conflict by claiming Ukraine needed to be “demilitarised and de-Nazified”, an entirely baseless pretext on which to launch a landgrab against a sovereign neighbour state that happens to have a Jewish president.

Ukraine has fought back courageously and continued to defy odds throughout the ensuing conflict and defended itself against Russian attacks with the help of western military aid, Thomas Kingsley and Joe Sommerlad write:

Why did Russia invade Ukraine and what could happen next?

‘Months of hell’: Inside Kherson, shellshocked survivors fear what Russia left behind

12:40 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

As locals celebrate a liberated Kherson, the threat from Russian troops left behind looms, Bel Trew reports.

“A single bag of food was all it took for the Ukrainian grandmother to stop in her tracks and crumple into tears. Against the haunting boom of shelling, Ludmilla, 76, sobbed as she explained how she had lived through hell for the past eight months.”

Read more:

‘Months of hell’: Inside Kherson, shellshocked survivors fear what Russia left behind

Russia guilty of over 400 war crimes in Kherson, Zelenksy says

12:23 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

President Volodymr Zelensky has said Russian soldiers committed over 400 war crimes in Kherson.

While Vladimir Putin’s forces retreated from the southern region last week, investigators uncovered “atrocities” that were left behind in the wake of their withdrawal.

In his nightly video address on Sunday, Mr Zelensky said: “In the Kherson region, the Russian army left behind the same atrocities as in other regions of our country, where it was able to enter,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly video address.

Read more here:

Russia guilty of over 400 war crimes in Kherson, Zelenksy says

Third IAEA board resolution in works deploring Russian actions in Ukraine

12:07 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A draft of what would be the third resolution by the U.N. atomic watchdog’s board on the war in Ukraine again calls on Russia to cease all actions against Ukraine‘s nuclear facilities including Zaporizhzhia, the text seen by Reuters on Monday showed.

“(The board) calls upon the Russian Federation to abandon its baseless claims of ownership of the Zaporizhzyha Nuclear Power Plant, to immediately withdraw its military and other personnel from the plant, and to cease all actions against, and at, the plant and any other nuclear facility in Ukraine,” said the text circulated by Canada to other countries on the 35-nation Board of Governors ahead of a meeting later this week.

Kherson retreat exposes humanitarian emergency

11:46 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The end of Russia’s eight-month occupation of Kherson city has sparked days of celebration but also exposed a humanitarian emergency, with residents living without power and water and short of food and medicines. Russia still controls about 70% of the wider Kherson region.

President Zelensky said Russian soldiers who were left behind when their military commanders abandoned the city last week are being detained. He also spoke, again without details, of the “neutralisation of saboteurs”.

Ukrainian police have called on residents to help identify people who collaborated with Russian forces.

Mr Zelensky urged people in the liberated zone to also be alert for booby traps, saying: “Please, do not forget that the situation in the Kherson region is still very dangerous. First of all, there are mines. Unfortunately, one of our sappers was killed, and four others were injured while clearing mines.”

And he promised that essential services will be restored.

“We are doing everything to restore normal technical capabilities for electricity and water supply as soon as possible,” he said.

“We will bring back transport and post. Let’s bring back an ambulance and normal medicine. Of course, the restoration of the work of authorities, the police, and some private companies are already beginning.”

Russian retreat from Kherson is the ‘beginning of the end of the war'

11:19 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky called the Russian withdrawal from Kherson “the beginning of the end of the war” on Monday as he met soldiers in the southern city.

The liberation of Kherson after a grinding offensive that forced Russia to pull back its forces from the city is one of Ukraine‘s biggest success so far of the nearly nine-month invasion and a stinging blow for the Kremlin.

Mr Zelensky said that the country’s “strong army” was persistently reclaiming the territories taken by Russia since its invasion while also acknowledging the difficulties and the heavy human toll.

The Ukrainian army has now reclaimed three major areas of the country in its counteroffensives - the area north of Kyiv, the northeastern region of Kharkiv and now Kherson and many neighbouring settlements.

Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov ‘taken to hospital for heart condition at G20 summit’

10:45 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has been taken to the hospital due to a heart condition following his arrival for the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesian authorities said.

Three Indonesian government and medical officials said the Russian diplomat was being treated on the resort island.

Two said Mr Lavrov was being seen for a heart condition.

Thomas Kingsley reports:

Russian foreign minister taken to hospital after arriving for G20 summit

Germany's Scholz: G20 consensus statement on war in Ukraine to be 'tough ride'

10:24 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Monday that it would be difficult to come up with a clear statement on global issues and the war in Ukraine at the G20 meeting in Indonesia later this week.

“We are working very hard to ensure that we not only make clear, important statements on all the issues that affect the world together ... but also on the issues of peace and the consequences of the Russian war of aggression on Ukraine,” he said during a joint news conference with Singapore’s prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong.

“That’s going to be a tough ride, and I think it’s going to take up a lot of our time and efforts in Bali.”

Russian and US officials holding talks in Turkey - Kommersant

10:07 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russian and US officials are holding talks in the Turkish capital Ankara, the Russian newspaper Kommersant reported on Monday, citing a source.

Sergei Naryshkin, head of Russia‘s SVR foreign intelligence agency, is reportedly part of Russia‘s delegation, Kommersant said.

Reuters was not able to independently verify the report.

Ukrainian president addresses troops in Kherson

09:47 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky visited Kherson and addressed troops there on Monday, days after Russian forces were forced to retreat from the southern city after months of occupation.

“We are moving forward,” he told troops standing in formation in front of the administration building in the city’s main square. “We are ready for peace, peace for all our country.”

Zelensky thanked Nato and other allies for their support in the war against Russia and said the delivery of high mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) from the United States had made a big difference for Kyiv.

Parents with children, some pushing baby strollers, also gathered in the main square. Some waved Ukrainian flags and others had the flag draped over their shoulders.

“I’m really happy, you can tell by the reaction of the people, their reaction is not staged,” he said in a comments witnessed by a Reuters correspondent in Kherson.

Asked where Ukrainian forces might advance next, he said: “Not Moscow...We’re not interested in the territories of another country.”

Minutes before he arrived, nearby shelling could be heard by people in the centre of Kherson. After Zelenskiy finished speaking, several more of blasts artillery gunfire echoed over the city.

Ukrainian troops arrived in the centre of Kherson on Friday after Russia abandoned the only regional capital it had captured since Moscow launched its invasion.

In pictures: Zelensky visits liberated Kherson

09:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

President Volodymyr Zelensky is in liberated Kherson where he is welcomed by emotional crowds.

Ukrainian president visits liberated Kherson, thanks allies for support

09:10 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Kherson on Monday, days after a Russian troop withdrawal from the southern Ukrainian city after months of occupation, a Reuters witness said.

“We are moving forward,” he told troops. “We are ready for peace, peace for all our country.”

He thanked Nato and other allies for their support in the war against Russia.

Russian soldiers loot and steal from Kherson as they retreat

08:43 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine’s defence ministry has claimed that Russian troops fleeing Kherson “stole everything” as they retreated, including a raccoon from a zoo.

In a video posted on Twitter that appears to show a Russian serviceman putting raccoons in a cage, the ministry wrote: “The occupiers stole everything from Kherson: paintings from art galleries, antiquities from museums, historic manuscripts from libraries. But their most prized loot was a raccoon they stole from a zoo. Steal a raccoon and Die.”

Ukraine president accuses Russia of 'atrocities' in Kherson

08:35 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukraine‘s president Volodymyr Zelensky is accusing Russian forces of having committed “the same atrocities as in other regions of our country” before they were forced to pull out from the strategic southern city of Kherson and its surrounds.

In his nightly video address on Sunday, Zelensky said without details that “investigators have already documented more than 400 Russian war crimes, and the bodies of both civilians and military personnel have been found.”

“In the Kherson region, the Russian army left behind the same atrocities as in other regions of our country,” he said. “We will find and bring to justice every murderer. Without a doubt.”

The end of Russia‘s eight-month occupation of Kherson city has sparked days of celebration but also exposed a humanitarian emergency, with residents living without power and water and short of food and medicines.

Russia still controls about 70% of the wider Kherson region.Zelensky said Russian soldiers who were left behind when their military commanders abandoned the city last week are being detained.

He also spoke, again without details, of the “neutralization of saboteurs.”Ukrainian police have called on residents to help identify people who collaborated with Russian forces.

Decision on negotiations with Russia is up to Ukraine, EU top diplomat says

08:03 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

It is up to Ukraine to decide when to enter negotiations with Russia, the European Union’s top diplomat said on Monday, commenting on speculations the West might push Kyiv to start talks with Moscow.

“Ukraine will decide what to do. Our duty is to support them”, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said as he arrived for a meeting of the bloc’s foreign ministers in Brussels.

Foreign secretary says PM will confront any Moscow rep at G20 summit

07:48 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Foreign secretary James Cleverly told Sky News that Rishi Sunak would confront any Russian representative at the G20 summit, ruling out the possibility that the UK would normalise its relationship with Russia.

US imposing sanctions on military procurement network for Russia, says Yellen

07:27 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

US treasury secretary Janet Yellen said that the United States will impose new sanctions on a transnational network of individuals and companies that have been working to procure military technologies for Russia‘s war effort in Ukraine.

Yellen told reporters on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali that the sanctions will target 14 individuals and 28 entities, including financial facilitators, but declined to provide details on where they are located. She said the announcement is scheduled for later on Monday.

“This is part of our larger effort to disrupt Russia‘s war effort and deny equipment it needs through sanctions and export controls,” Yellen told reporters

War crimes uncovered after Russians pulled out, Zelensky says

07:17 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russian soldiers of committing war crimes and killing civilians in Kherson, parts of which were retaken by Ukraine‘s army last week after Russia pulled out.

“Investigators have already documented more than 400 Russian war crimes. Bodies of dead civilians and servicemen have been found,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address on Sunday.

“The Russian army left behind the same savagery it did in other regions of the country it entered,” he said.

Reuters was unable to verify his allegations. Russia denies its troops intentionally target civilians.

Mass graves have been found in several places across Ukraine since the start of the invasion including civilian bodies showing evidence of torture discovered in the Kharkiv region and in Bucha, near Kyiv. Ukraine has accused Russian troops of committing the crimes.

A United Nations commission in October said war crimes were committed in Ukraine and that Russian forces were responsible for the “vast majority” of human rights violations in the early weeks of the war.

Ukrainian and Russian soldiers to face cold injuries without proper clothing, accommodation - UK

06:59 , Arpan Rai

The approaching winter will change the dynamics of the war for both Russian and Ukrainian forces, the UK’s MoD says, amid changes to daylight hours, concerns around winter clothing and a dramatic dip in temperatures.

“Winter will bring a change in conflict conditions for both Russian and Ukrainian forces. Changes to daylight hours, temperature and weather will present unique challenges for fighting soldiers. Any decisions that the Russian General Staff make will be in part informed by the onset of winter,” the British defence ministry said today in its latest intelligence update.

It added that daylight will reduce to fewer than 9 hours a day, compared to 15-16 in the height of summer, which will result in fewer offensives and more static defensive frontlines.

“Night vision capability is a precious commodity, further exacerbating the unwillingness to fight at night. The average high temperature will drop from 13 degrees Celsius through September to November, to zero through December to February. Forces lacking in winter weather clothing and accommodation are highly likely to suffer from non-freezing cold injuries,” the ministry said.

“The ‘golden hour’ window in which to save a critically wounded soldier is reduced by approximately half, making the risk of contact with the enemy much greater”, the ministry said.

“The weather itself is likely to see an increase in rainfall, which speed and snowfall. Each of these will provide additional challenges to the already low morale of Russian forces, but also present problems for kit maintenance. Basic drills such as weapon cleaning must be adjusted to the conditions and the risk of weapons malfunctions increase,” it said.

Ukraine uncovers messages left behind by Russian soldiers: ‘Ain’t a war crime if you had fun’

06:18 , Arpan Rai

Ukraine’s defence ministry says it has found messages in Kherson apparently left behind by retreating Russian soldiers.

Some of these messages from unspecified locations read: “I will burn other people’s villages with a cheerful smile”, “It ain’t a war crime if you had fun” and “Behind us, there is a house on fire. Well, let it burn. One more, one less.”

The photos of these messages, claimed to be left behind by Russian troops, have been shared on Twitter by the Ukrainian ministry.

Ukraine begins work restoring normality in Kherson after Russian pull out

05:52 , Arpan Rai

The Ukrainian military said it was deploying “stabilisation measures” in and around the southern city of Kherson over the weekend following the end of an eight-month occupation by Russian forces.

Locals in Kherson celebrated the return of their city without Russian control after the Kremlin announced its troops had withdrawn to the other side of the Dnipro River.

Ukrainians have already started removing symbols of the Russian occupation – including memorial plaques put up by the authorities that the Kremlin had installed to run Kherson.

On Friday, Zelensky said “people of Kherson themselves are already removing Russian symbols and any traces of the occupiers’ stay in Kherson from the streets and buildings”.

Top officials from Volodymyr Zelensky’s office cautioned that while special military units have entered Kherson city, a full deployment to reinforce the advance troops was still underway. On Friday, Ukraine’s intelligence agency said it thought some Russian soldiers stayed behind, ditching their uniforms for civilian clothes to avoid detection.

Read the full story here:

Ukraine works to stabilize Kherson after Russian pullout

Fighting in Donetsk remains intense, says Zelensky

04:50 , Arpan Rai

Donetsk remains the Ukrainian region witnessing the heaviest fighting, with Volodymyr Zelensky saying the intensity of Russian attacks there has not decreased.

“The fighting in the Donetsk region is as intense as in previous days. The level of Russian attacks is not decreasing. The level of resilience and bravery of our fighters is the highest. We do not allow our defence to be breached,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly address.

‘Months of hell’: Inside Kherson, shellshocked survivors fear what Russia left behind

04:20 , Arpan Rai

Without electricity, water or gas, and with dwindling food supplies, 76-year-old Ludmilla limped on in the dark all alone. That was until Ukraine’s soldiers opened Kherson on Friday to ecstatic crowds.

She had earlier managed to evacuate her daughter-in-law and grandchildren to Poland, but she stayed in Kherson to look after the family home.

“God bless you; I haven’t had a decent meal in months,” she told the staff of global food charity World Central Kitchen, who on Sunday were handing out hundreds of emergency food packets to crowds in the centre of the recently liberated city.

Each packet, containing tinned meat, fish, vegetables and basic foodstuffs, is a lifeline. People described food prices tripling under occupation and supplies running out.

“It’s been months of hell,” Ludmilla continued, clutching her parcel of food like a lifebuoy.

Bel Trew reports from Kherson:

‘Months of hell’: Inside Kherson, shellshocked survivors fear what Russia left behind

40 Russian soldiers killed, armoured vehicles destroyed – Ukrainian military

04:00 , Arpan Rai

At least 40 Russian soldiers have been killed in combat by Ukrainian troops, the country’s southern operational command wing said in a war update today.

The soldiers were neutralised on Sunday, after the Ukrainian military command attacked four concentrations of Russian troops, it said. Seven armoured vehicles were also purportedly destroyed.

Biden set to discuss Ukraine with China’s president Xi

04:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Joe Biden is to meet China’s leader Xi Jinping today in his first meeting with him as the US president.

Ukraine is set to be among the talking points during their discussion at the G20 summit in Indonesia.

Mr Biden will be “unapologetic” in his defence of the country, officials have said.

On Sunday, ahead of their meeting, Mr Biden warned China against attempting an invasion of Taiwan, and also said he wanted to keep lines of communication open with Beijing.

“I know Xi Jinping, he knows me,” he added, saying they had always had “straightforward discussions”.

The pair have known each other for more than a decade, from when Mr Biden and Mr Xi were both vice-presidents of their countries, but this will be their first in-person meeting as presidents.

“We have very little misunderstanding. We just got to figure out what the red lines are,” Mr Biden said.

Can feel Ukraine’s victory in war approaching, says Zelensky

03:28 , Arpan Rai

Volodymyr Zelensky said everyone in his country engaged in the war can feel Ukraine’s victory against Russia approaching as he said that those repelling Moscow’s attacks, including soldiers, civilians and diplomats, have not had a day’s rest.

“All of us already feel the approach of our victory. Because we preserve our unity and know that we are rightfully on our land,” Mr Zelensky said in his nightly address.

Starting his address, the Ukrainian president said that he was working together with his team on Sunday. “The office is working, Kyiv doesn’t stop, the country works non-stop. Look around - there are always people fighting and working without weekends for the sake of our victory,” he said.

“The frontline has no weekends. Rescuers and sappers have no weekends. Doctors helping the wounded have no weekends. Doctors helping our children have no weekends as well. Ukrainian energy workers fighting against Iranian drones have no rest,” Mr Zelensky said.

He added: “Diplomats working almost round the clock for 263 days already… Communication workers, security forces, hundreds and hundreds of other spheres, thousands of organisations and enterprises, millions of people.”

ICYMI: Russia could send ‘more cannon fodder’ after Kherson

03:00 , Lamiat Sabin

In case you missed it...

The UK’s defence secretary Ben Wallace said Russia will be “worried” and “disappointed” by the loss of Kherson.

He also said it was important not to “underestimate” Moscow and urged “caution” when considering the jubilant scenes on the streets of the liberated city.

“History will remind you that Russia can be brutal to their own. And if they need more cannon fodder, that is what they’ll be doing,” he told reporters in Westminster earlier on Sunday.

MTV EMA audience wave Ukraine flags for Kalush Orchestra

02:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Kalush Orchestra got a warm welcome at the MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) with members of the audience waving Ukrainian flags as they took to the stage on Sunday night.

The folk-rap group performed their Eurovision-winning track Stefania as the award ceremony drew to a close at the PSD Bank Dome in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The group were supported by dancers who donned the trademark pink bucket hat of lead singer Oleg Psyuk.

Traditional designs from the war-torn country and an image of a raised and clenched fist were projected across the stage.

Before the performance, Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi, who was hosting with his partner Rita Ora, said the group were wearing costumes that “dated back thousands of years”.

He described their music as “bringing a hip hop infusion to traditional Ukrainian folk music”.

Ora added: “Along with our worldwide winners, we’d like to welcome them from Kyiv, Ukraine - Kalush Orchestra.”

Speaking earlier on the red carpet, Psyuk told the PA news agency “culture is one of our weapons” in the war against Russia “so today we are are soldiers that present Ukraine’s culture”.

The group have become international spokespeople for the Ukrainian war effort since sweeping to victory at Eurovision in May.

They later raised more than £700,000 for the Ukrainian army by auctioning off their crystal microphone trophy, and are touring with a portion of proceeds going to relief efforts at home.

Psyuk recently said they were “grateful” to the UK for showing solidarity with Ukraine by hosting Eurovision next year on its behalf.

PA

‘Russia is a rogue state,’ Sunak is to tell G20 leaders

01:00 , Lamiat Sabin

The Telegraph’s front page today (Monday) features a story about Rishi Sunak at the G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, where he is expected to tell other leaders that Russia is a “rogue state”.

He will also criticise Vladimir Putin for failing to attend the summit and instead sending Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov in his place.

In writing for the newspaper, the prime minister says: “We will not let our economic future be held hostage by the actions of a rogue state – and nor will our allies.

“Leaders take responsibility. They show up. Yet, at the G20 summit in Indonesia this week, one seat will remain vacant.

“The man who is responsible for so much bloodshed in Ukraine and economic strife around the world will not be there to face his peers. He won’t even attempt to explain his actions.

“Instead, he will stay at home and the rest of us will get on with the task at hand.”

Zookeeper in Crimea steals animals from Kherson zoo

00:01 , Lamiat Sabin

A Russian zookeeper has stolen raccoons from the liberated city of Kherson, it’s been reported.

In the heist, seven raccoons, two female wolves, peacocks, a llama and a donkey from Kherson Zoo were taken.

A private Crimean zoo, Taigan Lion Park, owned by Oleg Zubkov, filmed him grabbing raccoons by their tails and putting them in cages for a YouTube video – now unavailable to watch – titled: “We are in Kherson. Oleg Zubkov catches raccoons with BARE HANDS!!!”

The video showed him with two assistants forcing the llama into a van.

Another video uploaded on Sunday showed two wolves that he said were from Kherson Zoo being unloaded at the Crimean zoo.

Russian television channels filmed the event.

Zubkov said: “It will be much better for the wolves here: large territory, Crimean sun, and besides, after the quarantine, they will get a male. It’s been their dream to live here.”

He said the animals, including any wolf cubs, would be sent back after Russia reoccupies Kherson and that they are “in good hands”.

Ukraine’s defence ministry posted one of the videos and vowed to retaliate over the theft.

Combat engineer dies during Kherson bomb clearance

Sunday 13 November 2022 23:00 , Lamiat Sabin

A sapper – combat engineer – died while demining the liberated city of Kherson, it was revealed today.

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said one died and four were injured during the bomb-clearing operations after Russian troops withdrew from the city in southern Ukraine.

Earlier, Yaroslav Yanushevych – head of the Kherson region’s military – said Russian troops had placed mines almost everywhere.”

He told Kherson citizens: “Please, please do not gather in crowded places.

“Moreover, we will be clearing mines in the city centre tomorrow, on 14 November. So please do not go to the central part of the city.”

Fighting in Donetsk remains intense, Zelensky says

Sunday 13 November 2022 22:00 , Lamiat Sabin

Fighting in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region has continued in its intensity, Volodymyr Zelensky said in describing the situation there as “hell”.

The Ukrainian president said in his nightly video address: “There it is just hell — there are extremely fierce battles there every day.

“But our units are defending bravely — they are withstanding the terrible pressure of the invaders, preserving our defence lines.”

“Battles in Donetsk region are just as intense as they have been in previous days,” the Ukrainian president also said.

“The level of Russian attacks has not declined. And the level of our resilience and courage is at its highest. We will not allow them through our defence,” he added.

'Bodies of Ukrainian troops and civilians found in Kherson’

Sunday 13 November 2022 21:30 , Lamiat Sabin

More details have been released about Ukraine’s claim that more than 400 war crimes have been uncovered in Kherson.

Volodymyr Zelensky said investigators found the bodies of servicemen and civilians in areas of the Kherson region freed from Russian occupation.

During his nightly video address, the Ukrainian president said: “Investigators have already documented more than 400 Russian war crimes.

“Bodies of dead civilians and servicemen have been found.”

Mr Zelensky said “stabilisation and the restoration of law” had been established in 226 settlements affecting more than 100,000 residents.

Arrests of Russian soldiers and mercenaries were proceeding, he added.

Moscow seeks to strip non Russian-born critics of passports

Sunday 13 November 2022 20:45 , Lamiat Sabin

Vladimir Putin is reportedly seeking to strip some citizens of their Russian passports if they criticise the war in Ukraine.

He is said to be proposing changes to a law that, when enacted, would target Ukrainians who were forced into acquiring Russian passports during the occupation of Kherson – which has recently been liberated.

The actions that would be considered crimes include discrediting the Russian army, spreading fake news, and participating in the activities of an undesirable organisation, according to Russian independent media outlet Meduza – citing a Kremlin-run news agency.

The proposed amendment to a bill has only passed its first reading so far.

In March, Russian parliament imposed laws that criminalised protesting against the conflict in Ukraine and discrediting Russia’s army – acts that would be punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Zelensky: ‘More than 400 Russian war crimes in Kherson’

Sunday 13 November 2022 20:15 , Lamiat Sabin

Investigators in Kherson have uncovered more than 400 Russian war crimes.

This was claimed by Volodymyr Zelensky this evening, after the city was liberated from Vladimir Putin’s troops.

Mobile phone services ‘restored’ in liberated Kherson

Sunday 13 November 2022 19:45 , Lamiat Sabin

Ukraine has restored mobile phone services in the liberated city of Kherson, according to an official.

It was announced by Yaroslav Yanushevych, head of the Kherson’s military.

Earlier, he said work has been underway to restore gas supply to the city and to get rid of mines left “almost everywhere” by Russian troops.

ICYMI: Sunak to ‘call out Putin’s regime’ at G20 summit

Sunday 13 November 2022 19:17 , Lamiat Sabin

In case you missed it...

Rishi Sunak will use the upcoming G20 summit to “call out Putin’s regime” over the devastation it is wreaking on Ukraine and the global economy with its invasion.

The British prime minister jetted off to Bali, Indonesia, today to join other leaders of the world’s biggest economies including US president Joe Biden, France’s Emmanuel Macron and China’s Xi Jinping.

Russian president Vladimir Putin, who has faced unanimous condemnation from Western leaders over the war, is expected to skip the event and send foreign minister Sergei Lavrov instead.

The annual G20 leaders’ gatherings began in response to the 2008 financial crisis, establishing the summit as the main global forum for economic cooperation.

You can read more here:

Sunak to ‘call out Putin’s regime’ over Ukraine war at G20 summit

Russian troops ‘assembling near Melitopol in Zaporizhzhia'

Sunday 13 November 2022 18:15 , Lamiat Sabin

Russia has amassed troops near Melitopol in the Zaporizhzhia region of southern Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian military.

Russia’s troops left behind in Kherson ‘pose as civilians’

Sunday 13 November 2022 17:45 , Lamiat Sabin

Ukrainian soldiers in the liberated city Kherson said they have found bins stuffed with discarded Russian uniforms as Vladimir Putin’s troops that have left behind try to blend in with civilians.

Stanislav Stoikobv, head of the territorial defence in the region, told The Independent that the Ukrainian military estimated as many as 15 per cent of Moscow’s troops stationed in Kherson had been left behind.

On Sunday, Kherson was closed for ‘filtration’, a process by which Ukrainian authorities hope to identify the Russian soldiers.

Mr Stoikobv said: “We have to find them, they have no contact with Russian troops on the other side of the river. We are concerned Russia will start heavily shelling Kherson but we are panicking.”

You can read more on this story by Bel Trew, in Kherson, here:

‘Months of hell’: Inside Kherson, shellshocked survivors fear what Russia left behind

Repair work to stabilise Kherson gas supply taking place

Sunday 13 November 2022 17:15 , Lamiat Sabin

Work is underway to restore gas supply to the liberated Ukrainian city of Kherson, according to an official.

Yaroslav Yanushevych, head of the Kherson’s military, said: “We have already succeeded in restoring the supply of natural gas to more than 300 houses in liberated settlements of the oblast.

“Engineers are managing to keep the gas supply situation stable in Kherson.

“This is particularly important because of the lack of electricity and water supply in the city, as well as the onset of cold weather.”

He added that the speed of repair work is dependent on mine clearance in the liberated territories.

Mr Yanushevych has warned residents of Kherson to not congregate in crowded areas to celebrate the liberation while bomb disposal is taking place.

Bomb disposal efforts in liberated Kherson underway - official

Sunday 13 November 2022 16:45 , Lamiat Sabin

Kherson residents have been advised to not gather in crowded places on Monday (14 November) to celebrate the liberation from Russia.

This is because Russian troops have left mines “almost everywhere” and the Ukrainian government’s bomb disposal efforts are underway.

Yaroslav Yanushevych, head of the Kherson region’s military, said: “The celebration of the liberation of Kherson Oblast has been going on for two days now.

“People are going out into the streets and squares holding Ukrainian flags, cheering and thanking the Armed Forces of Ukraine. But I want to warn everyone a little.

“Bomb disposal work is now underway; the enemy has placed mines almost everywhere. Please, please do not gather in crowded places.

“Moreover, we will be clearing mines in the city centre tomorrow, on 14 November. So please do not go to the central part of the city.”

Ukraine ‘building wall on Belarus and Russia borders'

Sunday 13 November 2022 16:15 , Lamiat Sabin

A reinforced concrete wall with barbed wire is being built along Ukraine’s borders with Belarus and Russia.

This is according to Kryrylo Tymoshenko, the deputy head of the Ukrainian president’s office, who revealed the plan by posting on his official Telegram account today.

The official posted a video of the construction process on the border in Volyn Oblast, northwestern Ukraine.

He said: “Of course, the construction is ongoing not only in Volyn. This applies to all regions bordering Belarus and Russia.”

Wagner mercenary ‘executed by sledgehammer’ for ‘defecting’

Sunday 13 November 2022 15:45 , Lamiat Sabin

A Russian has reportedly been executed with a sledgehammer by the Wagner mercenary group for expressing his support for Ukraine.

Yevgeny Nuzhin, 55, was a Russian prison inmate – serving a 25-year sentence for murder – before enlisting into the group to fight in Ukraine.

But after he was captured by Ukrainians in September, he told Ukrainian journalists that he wished to fight against Russia.

He was exchanged and then executed with a sledgehammer with his head taped to a block, according to reports and an unverified graphic video circulating on social media.

Wagner head Yevgeny Prigozhin, writing on Telegram, joked about his death and suggested that the execution was to dissuade other recruited Russian convicts from surrendering to Ukraine.

He wrote: “Regarding the sledgehammered man, this show shows that he did not find happiness in Ukraine, but was met by unkind yet just people.

“I think this film is called ‘A dog gets a dog’s death.’ Great directors’ work, you can watch it in one go. I hope no animals were hurt during the filming.”

Wagner mercenaries, originally staffed by veterans of the Russian armed forces, have fought in countries including Libya, Syria, the Central African Republic, Mali and Ukraine.

Sanctions on Russia could remain after any peace deal

Sunday 13 November 2022 15:15 , Lamiat Sabin

Sanctions on Russia could remain in place even after any peace agreement with Ukraine.

Janet Yellen, the US Treasury Secretary, said any eventual peace agreement would involve a review of the penalties Ukraine’s allies in the West have imposed on Russia’s economy, according to the Wall Street Journal.

She said, during an interview at the G20 summit in Indonesia: “There really hasn’t been any effort on Russia’s part to want to undertake negotiations with Ukraine on any terms that are acceptable to Ukraine.

“I suppose in the context of some peace agreement, adjustment of sanctions is possible and could be appropriate.”

“We would probably feel, given what’s happened, that probably some sanctions should stay in place,” she also said.

Her comments come after Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said he was open to “genuine peace talks” with Russia.

‘Direction of travel with Ukraine,’ Wallace says

Sunday 13 November 2022 13:30 , Zoe Tidman

Ukraine has the momentum in the war against Russia, Ben Wallace said.

“It’s not big step momentum, but nevertheless, the direction of travel is is with the Ukrainians,” he told Times Radio.

The defence secretary added: “No one is underestimating Russia. Russia is a long way from giving up.”

Up to Ukrainians about when and how to negotiate, Wallace says

Sunday 13 November 2022 13:00 , Zoe Tidman

Ben Wallace also said it was up to the Ukrainians to decide “when and how” they might want to negotiate with Russia.

Asked if now was the right time for Ukraine to be sitting down with its neighbour for talks, he told broadcasters: “First of all, I don’t think we should be grateful when the thief gives back stolen goods - and that’s effectively what Russia has done.

“Now it’s going to sort of go around the world trying to say everyone should be grateful for that. No, they shouldn’t, Russia shouldn’t have done it in the first place in February.”

The defence secretary added: “I think it’s up to the Ukrainians to decide when and how they want to negotiate.

“Ultimately, Ukraine will want to do that from a position of strength and momentum is with Ukraine. I can’t see why Ukraine would stop that.”

PA

Russia could send ‘more cannon fodder’ after Kherson, UK defence secretary says

Sunday 13 November 2022 12:28 , Zoe Tidman

The UK’s defence secretary said Russia will be “worried” and “disappointed” by the loss of Kherson.

But Ben Wallace also said it was important not to “underestimate” Moscow and urged “caution” when considering the jubilant scenes on the streets of the liberated city.

“History will remind you that Russia can be brutal to their own. And if they need more cannon fodder, that is what they’ll be doing,” he told reporters in Westminster.

Lavrov lands in Bali for G20

Sunday 13 November 2022 11:35 , Zoe Tidman

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Indonesia’s resort island of Bali on Sunday to lead his country’s delegation at the G20 Summit this week.

It’s the first G20 Summit since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

Reuters

Russia ‘failing dramatically’ in Ukraine war, UK defence chief says

Sunday 13 November 2022 11:01 , Zoe Tidman

Russia is failing “dramatically” in its Ukraine war, according to the UK’s chief of the defence staff.

“We’re seeing a continued failure by Russia. We saw that at the outset. Russia wanted to take the cities, it failed,” Admiral Sir Tony Radakin told the BBC.

“Russia wanted to subjugate Ukraine, it’s failed, and it’s failing dramatically.”

He told the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme: “Russia wanted to weaken Nato and Nato’s even stronger. Then if you come down to the tactical fight, we’re seeing continued success by Ukraine.”

Zelensky vows to keep pushing Russian forces out of Ukraine

Sunday 13 November 2022 11:03 , Zoe Tidman

Ukraine’s president has vowed to keep pushing Russian forces out of his country after they withdrew from Kherson.

In his nightly video address on Saturday, Volodymyr Zelensky vowed there will be “many more such greetings” of Ukrainian soldiers liberating territory as seen in the southern city.

He pledged to the people in Ukrainian cities and villages that are still under occupation: “We don’t forget anyone; we won’t leave anyone.”

AP

Biden set to discuss Ukraine with China’s president

Sunday 13 November 2022 10:01 , Zoe Tidman

Joe Biden is set to meet China’s leader Xi Jinping tomorrow - the first time he will have done so since taking office.

Ukraine is set to be among the talking points. The US president plans to be “unapologetic” in his defence of the country, officials have said.

West looking to ‘militarise’ southest Asia, Russian foreign minister claims

Sunday 13 November 2022 09:30 , Zoe Tidman

Russia’s foreign minister has accused the West of wanting to “militarise” southeast Asia in a bid to contain Russian and Chinese interests, setting the stage for a confrontation at the G20 summit in Bali.

Sergei Lavrov will head Russia’s delegation to the summit - the first such meeting since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February - after the Kremlin said Vladimir Putin was too busy to attend.

Speaking during a press conference at the conclusion of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, he scolded the US over its actions in the region, which both Russia and the West see as a potential strategic geopolitical battleground in the coming decades.

“The United States and its NATO allies are trying to master this space,” he told reporters.

He claimed Joe Biden’s Indo-Pacific strategy would involve “the militarisation of this region” with a focus on containing China and Russian interests.

The US president told southeast Asian leaders that Washington was committed to building an Indo-Pacific that was “free and open, stable and prosperous, and resilient and secure”.

Additional reporting by Reuters

Ukraine ‘liberated 74,000 sq km’ since war

Sunday 13 November 2022 09:02 , Zoe Tidman

A US think-tank says Ukraine has liberated more than 74,000 sq km of its territory since the war started.

Take a look at its map:

More than 80,800 Russian troops killed in invasion,Ukraine army claims

Sunday 13 November 2022 08:29 , Zoe Tidman

Ukraine’s armed forces has increased its death toll for Russian forces by 650, claiming more than 80,800 have now been killed since the start of the invasion.

See here:

UK intelligence update on military training in Russian schools

Sunday 13 November 2022 08:00 , Zoe Tidman

The UK intelligence update on the war in Ukraine focuses on Russia’s move to restart military training in schools.

They tried to do this during the invasion of Crimea in 2014, but “the quality of Russian conscripts remains poor, with low morale and limited training”, the British defence ministry said.

“This training likely intends to prepare students with military skills as they approach conscription age and to increase the take-up for mobilisation and conscription drives,” it added.

“This initiative is also likely to be part of a wider project to instil an ideology of patriotism and trust in public institutions in the Russian population.”