The Nova Kakhovka Dam Explosion
Bansky leaves his artwork in Borodyanka
Kherson was liberated on Armistice Day, and many Ukrainians celebrated as the media came to interview them while the Ukrainian troops entered the city to cheers and hugs. They did not care that they had little food, no water, no heat, and no electricity—they had their freedom
I listened to a few interviews, and Sky was the first on the scene as the citizens hugged the reporter as he was a symbol of freedom. When they asked where he was from, they all cheered and shouted their thanks to Great Britain, and shook his hand and hugged him tighter. In another interview, a man described the conditions for the last eight months, and then said he wanted to thank Great Britain for helping Ukraine.
I have been following the war (as it is a war and not a military operation) since it began, and I was frustrated by the ‘let’s wait and see approach’ by the world. They all sent in humanitarian aid, but no weapons which is what Ukraine needed. Boris Johnson, while he has made errors, he stepped up and led the way by providing tactical support and weapons to Ukraine. That meant all the other countries had no excuse to hold back when a G7 country sends weapons to help a country in need. People forget that a leader not only must help the economy of the country, but must also protect it from bad actors that the public may not be aware of. We have seen the Russians point the finger at the UK, blaming them for the Nord Stream pipe explosions and make threats aimed at the country if they did not stop sending weapons to Ukraine. Things could have been very different if the UK had not led the way in supplying weapons to Ukraine.
We must remember that the war continues, and the Russian retreat may have been a distraction. The Nova Kakhovka dam suffered damage from an explosion after the Russians had left. That was expected, but no one has claimed responsibility. Ukraine aren’t going to blow up their own dam, but it indicates that the Ukrainian intelligence was correct. Now that Ukraine is back in charge of Kherson, it is a difficult job to stabilise it after 8 months of occupation.
The Ukrainians have a two-fold job in Kherson, to stabilise the area and repair the infrastructure as there is no water, heat, or electricity as the Russian destroyed everything before they left. Then they need to defend the borders to prevent the Russians returning. Meanwhile, houses are likely to be boob trapped with mines, and Russian soldiers may have remained to acts as spies. The city might be liberated, but it’s not over until the Russians are defeated for good.
As a result of the damage in Kherson, there is a curfew in place to allow for de-mining, and there is a ban on using the river as a mode of transport as the Russians have made a camp on the other side of the Dnipro River. Meanwhile, the Russian attacks continue in other parts of Ukraine, and reports state that fighter planes are leaving Belarus headed for Ukraine. That isn’t good, and means that Kyiv is again the target—if they take Kyiv, then they take the entire country.
Day 262 (12 November)
The Russian destroyed the energy grids in Kherson as reported by DTEK, the energy supplier. They estimate it will take 30 days to restore energy to the region. Meanwhile, the government is supplying firewood and small stoves to people to keep warm. It is now winter, and luckily it is still mild but the temperatures will drop very soon.
Ukrainian authorities have returned to Kherson, including the police and government officials. They will organise the de-mining of the region, provide supplies of food and firewood to the citizens and repair the damage the Russians left behind while also defending the city from further attacks. More than 2,000 mines have been found so far.
The IAEA inspected the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology, that has suffered more than 100 missile attacks and shelling, and found that the site was ‘worse than expected’, but the radiation levels were normal
Banksy, has posted images of some the work he has done in Borodyanka. One mural depicts a gymnast that succeeds in the rubble, and the other appears to be Putin defeated by a child who throws him to the ground in Judo (Putin is a fan of Judo)
.
While the US suggests Ukraine be open to negotiations with Russia, Germany who have previously wavered on supplying weapons to Ukraine, have stated that they cannot see a diplomatic solution at present. Scholz, who has previously favoured a peace deal has stated, ‘Putin is preventing diplomatic rapprochement with Ukraine.’ The UK has issued another statement firmly stating that any negotiations with Russia are up to Ukraine and should only be held by Ukraine, to quash stories of the US allegedly claiming to negotiate with Russia on behalf of Ukraine.
The `Ukrainian postal service will be issuing a new stamp with, ‘ Kherson is `Ukraine!’
Mykolaiv is on the brink of being completely liberated despite continued missile attacks. Kinburnska Spit is the last remaining area to be liberated. In a liberated part of the region, Snihurivka, the police have discovered what appears to have been a torture chamber. More war crimes are to be catalogued and such buildings will be used as evidence.
The US has made a deal with South Korea to purchase 100,000 rounds of 155 mm howitzer ammunition. They will then transfer the ammunition to Ukraine.
Several countries in the EU and the UK have stated that they will stage walkouts when Russian delegates speak at the G 20 summit in Indonesia. Some have also said that they will confront Sergei Lavrov (Russian Foreign Minister) and other members of the delegation to address the illegal invasion of Ukraine. This has previously happened in other summits earlier this year, but has little to no effect expect to show that Ukraine is supported in this war.
Less than 24 hours after the Russians left Kherson, the Nova Kakhovka dam suffered an explosion, damaging a road and railway line that run across the dam. No one has claimed responsibility, and no one knows what caused the explosion as yet. However, we know that the Russians had planned to blow up the dam as a false flag and to blame the Ukrainians, and that they probably mined the area too.
The Russians have moved to the banks of the Dnipro River, where they are still a threat, and have not left the area completely. They have now set up a base there. After two days of celebrations, it is back to defending the land again as the Russians are likely to attack again once they have regrouped. Also, by moving troops south to defend Kherson, it means that Kyiv, in the north can be attacked again
There were reports of MiG 31s taking off from Belarus headed towards Ukraine, most likely Kyiv.
The Russians have broken the Black Sea Grain Deal by refusing to allow vessels to pass through the Kerch Strait to the Sea of Azov unless they were loaded in Russia. Russia is trying to renegotiate terms through blackmail, and want the SWIFT banking restrictions lifted so that they can sell their cargo as at present they can ship the commodities, but the sanctions against the banks means they cannot accept payment. The main bank in the negotiations is Rosselkhozbank, and this request has been made before, but there can be no exceptions to sanctions. Only now are the sanctions having any actual effect on the Russians.
Lithuanians have donated $250,000 to Ukraine so that they can purchase a maritime drone, which will help them to defend themselves from the Russian vessels that have blocked the Black Sea, and where Russia are launching missiles from.
In Zaporizhzhia, more cluster bombs and missiles have attacked the residential parts of the city. One Iskander-K ballistic missile contains 54 clusters submunitions, which failed to explode. The authorities have decided to evacuate the area whilst experts clear the area of unexploded devices.
Day 263 (13 November)
More activity in Belarus, where Su-30SM fighters appeared to have taken off to escort the MiG-31K, headed to Ukraine. Sanctions against Belarus should be imposed immediately as they take so long to have any real effect.
Wagner recruits who were convicts have been threatened with execution if they try to escape, or surrender to the Ukrainians. A video clip of Evgeny Nuzhin, a convicted murderer, has been shown where he was executed by a sledgehammer while strapped to a pile of bricks. The stories are conflicted, where one says that the surrendered to the Ukrainians, and was then used in a prisoner swap. That is unlikely as he knew that he would be executed, and another story says he was kidnapped in Kyiv. Somehow, the Wagner group found him (as he had family in Ukraine) and then killed him on video as a deterrent to others.
The Russians have abandoned they helicopter base in Chaplynka (outside Kherson) as they are now within the firing range of HIMARS. This was also a command and control centre that the Russians have dismantled and moved, as they know it is a target.
Ukrainian troops are still liberating occupied areas, and the next region is Luhansk. Makiivka village in Luhansk was liberated, and it is important that the war in the Donbas is ended once and for all.
Kherson has an overnight ban from 17:00 to 08:00 so that the authorities can de-mine the area. River transport is banned from 13-19 November due to possible mines in the area left by the Russians. Security is heightened with access in or out being restricted. This is because there are probably Russian spies and proxies in the area who seek to go to other cities. People are warned not to go to their homes, and if they do to check for mines. Firewood and small stoves are being handed out to residents with ID, as most have no electricity, gas or water supplies.
