UAF – Ukrainian Forces
RF – Russian Forces
Summary of the Events
UAF continue to liberate communities in western Kherson region while RF made some marginal gains in the Donetsk region.
Sloboda Front (UAF)
UAF and RF continued to fight but neither side made any significant progress on the ground. RF conducted assaults towards Novoselivka, Makiyivka, and Miasozharivka but were repelled by UAF.
Siversky Donets Front (UAF)
RF attempted assaults towards Bilohorivka and Verkhnokamyanske but were repelled by UAF.
Bakhmut Front (RF)
The 70,000 residents of Bakhmut are hunkering down for a very cold winter with electricity knocked out for their city. Truckloads of coal are being delivered to the residents of Bakhmut to warm their houses through the winter.
RF claimed to have captured the Mayorsk Rail Station south of Bakhmut. But all other RF assaults were repelled. Fighting continues in Soledar, Bakhmutske, and south of Bakhmut. UAF defenders repulsed two assaults on Opytne and Andriivka.
Avdiivka Front (RF)
RF claimed to have capture Opytne, but it has only been verified that they have moved into the eastern outskirts. Other RF attacks on Krasnohorivka, Pervomaiskyi, and Nevelske were repulsed.
Donetsk Front (RF)
RF made some marginal gains on their advance against Vuhledar. Fighting continues in Pavlivka, but the fact that RF fired artillery into Pavlivka suggests they have not taken the city as they had claimed the day before. RF also attempted an assault on Marinka but were repulsed.
Zaporizhia Front
Although this front has been mostly quiet over the last few months, it is the most likely front the UAF will next focus on after liberating western Kherson.
Kherson Front (UAF)
Russia claimed that 87% of the residents of Kherson voted to become part of Russia, but when Ukrainian soldiers entered Kherson to liberate it, the people of Kherson and surrounding area came out and cheered their liberation. In this video clip, soldiers entered the center of Kherson with resident shouting “ZSU” which is the abbreviation for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. And they hugged and lifted up the soldiers in gratitude.
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Even before the soldiers arrived, the citizens had raised the Ukrainian flag in the Kherson’s central square.
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It was a humiliating defeat for Russian President Vladimir Putin as residents came out in tears to hug their liberators. Putin held his position, though, declaring that Kherson was part of Russia now and that Russian troops would be back. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky responded by celebrating the return of Kherson which is “ours”.
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The villagers were just as excited as soldiers liberated one arter another.
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And the reminders of Russian occupation were quickly removed from Kherson such as this sign that read “Russia is here forever.”
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In one village a teenage girl greeted her liberators by playing the Ukrainian national anthem on her violin.
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RF had blown up energy facilities and the television tower of Kherson before they retreated leaving the city without electricity and television. But after one day Ukraine had reconnected Kherson to the Ukrainian broadcasters.
Other News
The liberation of western Kherson region also resulted in the nearly complete liberation of the Mykolaiv region, except for the Kinburn Straight in the south. RF did fire missiles into Mykolaiv city. RF also shelled Nikopol and Zaporizhia.
Dmytro Kuleba, the Ukraine Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and made a realistic statement about the liberation of Kherson by stating the war is not over and Russia is mobilizing an even larger army. He warned that the West cannot become complacent but continue to support Ukraine in its complete liberation from RF. Kuleba also met with the Foreign Ministers of India and Oman to strengthen relations with those two countries.
Ukraine has begun a fundraiser to produce their own secret drones which they claim can be used to bring down the Russian fleet in the Black Sea. Already funds have been raised for one drone, each of which cost $10 million.
The grain deal between Ukraine and Russia, brokered by Turkey, is about to end on November 19. The deal requires Russia to allow Ukraine to export grain through the Black Sea and in exchange Russia can export food and fertilizer the world desperately needs as well. The UN is busy in negotiations to extend the deal, but so far Russia has balked at signing an extension unless sanctions are lightened against their country.
President Putin announced he would not be attending the upcoming Group of 20 Summit in Indonesia as he does not want to face international criticism of his invasion of Ukraine.
The Olena Zelensky Foundation has secured a donation of nearly 39,000 laptops from HP and Microsoft to be distributed to children in need who can only attend online school.
The Russian pro-war parties, Russian military bloggers, Yevgeny Prigozhin who controls the largest private Russian army, and the leadership of the two breakaway republics on the Donbas, are openly criticizing President Putin for his withdrawal from Kherson. Such criticism was not allowed in the past and is a sign that Putin is beginning to lose power.
International Support
The European Commission has pledged $1 billion to improve the Solidarity Lines at the Ukrainian borders with EU countries. These Solidarity Lines are allowing truckloads of grain to pass into Europe and then distributed around the world to alleviate world hunger caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The funds will be used to increase more lines and expedite the waiting time for truckloads of food to cross the border which can take days now.
The Netherlands pledged another €110 million for a total of €180 million to Ukraine to rebuild their energy facilities recently destroyed by Russian missiles.