Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday, November 9, ordered Russian forces to withdraw from the city of Kherson, the target of a Ukrainian counter-offensive. After this announcement, Volodymyr Zelensky for his part affirmed that Ukraine remained “cautious”. “The enemy does not give us a gift, does not show a ‘goodwill gesture’, we must win everything”, did he declare. Franceinfo returns to the news of the day on the front of the war in Ukraine.
Russia orders the withdrawal of its forces from Kherson
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered the withdrawal of Russian forces from the right bank of the Dnieper River in Ukraine’s Kherson region on Wednesday. “Proceed with the withdrawal of the soldiers”Sergei Shoigu told television, after a proposal to that effect from the commander of Russian operations in Ukraine, General Sergei Surovikin, who recognized that it was a decision “not at all easy” to take.
This withdrawal, decided after the displacement of some 115,000 inhabitants of the Kherson region by the Russian occupation forces, sounds like a crushing defeat for Moscow, already forced to abandon the Kharkiv region (northeast) in September. It also intervenes when Vladimir Putin had precisely ordered on September 21 the mobilization of some 300,000 reservists to consolidate the Russian lines.
kyiv sees ‘no sign’ of withdrawal of Russian forces from Kherson
kyiv said on Wednesday did not see “no sign” at this stage withdrawal of Russian forces from Kherson. “We see no sign that Russia is leaving Kherson without a fight. Part of the Russian (troops) is kept in the city” from southern Ukraine, declared an adviser to the presidency, Mykhaïlo Podoliak, castigating “staged television statements” from Moscow.
Ukraine remains “cautious” vis-à-vis Kherson, assures Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday evening that his country was reacting with a “extreme caution” at the announcement of the Russian withdrawal from the city of Kherson, in the south of the country.
“The enemy does not give us a gift, does not show ‘goodwill gesture’, we must win everything”Volodymyr Zelensky said in his daily message to Ukrainians. “We must therefore exercise extreme caution, without emotions, without taking unnecessary risks, in order to liberate all of our land with as minimal losses as possible”.
Senior occupation official in Kherson dies in ‘car accident’
Deputy head of administration of Kherson region Kirill Stremoussov died in a “car accident”, the administration announced. The circumstances of his death are still unknown. This character, born in the Donetsk region, embodied the face of the Russian occupation in the occupied Ukrainian regional capital.
Hungary is in favor of the integration of Sweden and Finland into NATO
Budapest wants the Hungarian Parliament to ratify Sweden and Finland’s NATO membership “during the fall semester” which ends on December 7. It is one of the last two countries, with Turkey, not to have given its agreement for the two countries to enter into the military alliance. Viktor Orban’s chief of staff attributes the delay to a legislative gridlock caused by EU demands on anti-corruption measures. He promises that Stockholm and Helsinki “can count” on Hungary.
European Commission proposes €18 billion in aid for Ukraine in 2023
The European Commission has proposed to the Twenty-Seven to grant Ukraine aid of 18 billion euros in 2023, in the form of loans whose interest would be borne by the Member States. “This stable, regular and predictable financial assistance, averaging €1.5 billion per month, will cover a significant part of Ukraine’s short-term financing needs for 2023, which the Ukrainian authorities and the Fund international monetary institutions estimate to be 3 to 4 billion euros per month”explained the European executive in a press release (in English).
Loans are provided for a maximum period of 35 years. Ukraine should repay the capital from 2033. The funds made available to Ukraine would be borrowed by the European Commission on the markets. The payment must be accompanied by reforms in the judiciary and the fight against corruption in particular, and respect for the rule of law. The Commission undertakes to “verify that these reforms have actually been put in place when making the payment”.
EU to try to pass new sanctions on Iran next week, Berlin says
The European Union will try to adopt new sanctions against Iran next week in response to the crackdown on the protest caused by the death in custody of a young woman, the German Foreign Minister said on Wednesday. “We are working on the next sanctions package”said Annalena Baerbock on Twitter. “We want to adopt him next week”.