Ukrainians Rejoice As Russian Forces Retreat From Kherson

On Saturday, people in the city of Kherson hugged Ukrainian soldiers after they entered the city.

Ukrainian forces entered the city after a Russian retreat which marked a triumphant milestone in Ukraine’s counteroffensive against Moscow’s invasion almost nine months ago.

Kherson was the only regional capital that the Russian forces had managed to capture since the beginning of the invasion, almost 9 months ago.

Celebrations carried on for much of the day, despite the hardships endured by those living there. People still queued to access water.

"We are so happy that our strong men returned to us and liberated us from our occupiers," said one local to AP.

The Ukrainian military faces the challenge of clearing out explosive devices and restoring basic public services in the city. Ukrainian forces will also examine if Russian forces tortured any Ukrainian citizens.

Posters put up by Russia stating -"Russia is here forever" are being torn down and set on fire, as people celebrated the retreat of Russian forces.

One resident said he knew this moment would come from the very beginning of the occupation.

"It feels like freedom at last, it feels like a big victory is coming here," he added.

Ukraine’s retaking of Kherson is a significant setback for the Kremlin and people in Russian media channels are blaming the Russian military for it.