Ukraine: Ryzhenko discusses Russian occupation in Kherson

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

Ukrainian troops have made “tactical gains” in the first week of their counteroffensive in southern Ukraine, an unnamed Western official told Politico. The Khersion region has seen heavy fighting, as Ukraine is seeking to retake the region which fell under Russian occupation in the early days of the war. A Ukrainian journalist who infiltrated the Russian-controlled area reported on the dire conditions civilians live under.

Kostiantyn Ryzhenko told the Ukrainian TV channel: “They [Russian forces] can catch you at any moment: sitting in the park on a bench for too long is suspicious, at a checkpoint and it may seem suspicious, meet someone at a market.

“There are 2-3 people standing there, they can pick you up.”

Mr Ryzhenko went on to explain how an acquaintance of his disappeared for three days after Russian troops detained him.

He said: “I had an acquaintance at the market [who] was detained that way.”

“Just stood there drinking coffee, discussing the latest explosion in Chornobaivka, a popular topic in the city,” Mr Ryzhenko said.

“People in civilian clothes came up to him and said: ‘Come with me.’ And they took him away for a few days.

As for products, all products are of disgusting quality. The smell is disgusting. Smells like rotten figs mixed with a very cheap detergent. And this smell is present in absolutely everything.

“Starting with their bread, chips, cookies, top ramen. Everything smells this unpleasant smell.”

“We joke that’s what the Russian spirit smells like,” Mr Ryzhenko said.

100,000 Kherson residents has been under occupation for six months, according to the local administration.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a warning to Russian forces in an evening address, saying it was time for them to “run away, go home,” and that “the occupiers must know we will chase them to the border.”

One of his presidential advisers cautioned the counteroffensive will be a slow one that would “grind the enemy.”

DON’T MISS:
‘Glory to Ukraine’: Partisan inflicts devastating blow to Russians [REPORT] 
No ‘chink in the armour that Putin could exploit ‘ Lord Dannatt war… [REPORT] 
Horror warning as Putin plotting ‘decisive blow on all Europeans’ [REPORT] 

“This process will not be very fast but will end with the installation of the Ukrainian flag over all the settlements of Ukraine,” said Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to the head of the office of the President of Ukraine.

“[The Ukrainian Armed Forces] have broken through the frontline in several sectors,” he said.

The village of Vysokopillia in Kherson Oblast has been liberated, according to Yuriy Sobolevskyi, first deputy head of Kherson Oblast Council.

“Vysokopillia is Ukraine,” Mr Sobolevskyi said in a Telegram post.

READ NEXT:
‘UK counts pennies, Ukraine counts casualties’ Kuenssberg question …
Putin reeling as Ukraine’s army makes NEW breakthrough in offensive
Putin won’t be ‘replaced by a nice man’ as war to rage on
‘Everything’s lost’: Russian army on brink of surrender
Putin closing Russia’s gas ‘is playing the economic war extremely w…

Source: Read Full Article