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/ANKARA — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday visited Kherson, the biggest prize his troops have recaptured so far, vowing to press on until Kyiv reclaims control of all its occupied territory.
Zelensky’s visit came as the heads of U.S. and Russian intelligence met in Turkey for the highest level publicly acknowledged face-to-face talks between the two countries since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February.
Washington said Kyiv was aware of the meeting, meant to prevent an inadvertent escalation but not involve discussion of any settlement.
Zelensky shook hands with soldiers and waved to civilians looking out from surrounding flats as he was escorted by bodyguards three days after his troops swept into the city.
He told soldiers they had “proved it was impossible to kill Ukraine”, then held a minute’s silence for the dead.
Residents also turned out, parading blue-and-yellow flags and chanting “Kherson is Ukraine” – a contrast with the early days of the occupation when people berated Russian soldiers.
No senior Russian official had made an analogous visit during eight months of occupation of the city, which President Vladimir Putin proclaimed “eternally Russian” six weeks ago.
Zelensky said Ukraine was ready for peace, but only with the restoration of all occupied territory: “You see our strong army. We are step-by-step coming through our country, through the temporarily occupied territories.”
Minutes before he arrived, nearby shelling could be heard. After he finished speaking, blasts of artillery echoed.
Russia pulled all its troops out of a pocket on the west bank of the Dnipro River last week, which included Kherson city, the only regional capital it had captured since the invasion.
Olga Fedorova, an English teacher in Kherson throughout the occupation, said lack of electricity or mobile internet connection meant many were unaware of events until Ukrainian troops raised their flag in the main square on Nov.
