Ukrainian soldiers were greeted with emotional hugs and flowers as they arrived in the heart of Kherson on Friday after Russian troops withdrew from the city.
Videos on social media appeared to show residents assembling in the streets of Kherson in southern Ukraine to cheer the arrival of Kyiv’s forces after a flag was raised over Kherson’s regional administration building. Ukrainian soldiers have been advancing on the city—the only regional capital seized by Russia since the start of the invasion in February—after Moscow ordered a withdrawal of its soldiers from Kherson and its surrounding areas earlier this week.
While Ukrainian and Western officials have cautioned that the retreat could be the prelude to a deadly Russian ambush, residents in and around the city appear to be savoring the moment after eight long months of occupation.