Ukraine-Russia news – live: Putin’s retreat sees Kyiv recapture first Kherson village

Ukrainian troops have recaptured their first village in Kherson after Moscow was forced to withdraw their soldiers from the region’s capital city.

A small group of Ukrainian soldiers was shown on state television in the centre of the village of Snihurovka around 35 miles north of Kherson city, greeting dozens of residents in a square with a Ukrainian flag fluttering from a pole behind them.

“Today, on 10 November 2022, Snihurivka was liberated by the forces of the 131st Separate Intelligence Battalion. Glory to Ukraine!” a commander declared as the locals applauded, cheered and filmed the soldiers on their phones.

It comes just one day after Russia announced it was retreating from the region, including the capital.

Despite the jubilant celebrations of soldiers today, Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky remained wary as he said “the enemy will make no gifts to us”.

An adviser to the president added that Russians may plan to sow destruction to the region as they leave, turning it into a “city of death”.

Key Points

• ‘Well over’ 100,000 Russian soldiers killed or wounded, US says

• Russia’s Kherson retreat shows its military has ‘some real problems’, Joe Biden says

• Putin to miss G20 summit in Bali next week

• Ukraine responds with caution to Russia’s retreat from Kherson, ‘enemy does not bring us gifts’

• Putin ‘fears assassination’ after bitter Kherson defeat

• Ukraine troops take back first Kherson village after Russia retreat

Thursday 10 November 2022 22:37 , Katy Clifton

Thanks for following our live updates, we are pausing our coverage for the evening.

Jersey Police apologise to Roman Abramovich for raid

Thursday 10 November 2022 21:00 , Reuters

Police on Jersey have admitted they conducted unlawful searches at premises allegedly linked to Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and have agreed to pay damages and apologise, according to a legal document seen by Reuters.

After President Vladimir Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, the West slapped the most severe sanctions in history on Russian officials and Russian businessmen, freezing hundreds of billions of dollars in assets.

On 12 April, the Royal Court of Jersey imposed a formal freezing order on $7bn ((£6bn) worth of assets linked to Abramovich, who made a fortune in the chaos of the 1990s, and police carried out searches of premises suspected of being connected to Abramovich.

But the legality of the search warrants issued the same day was challenged by the companies searched. Two search warrants were issued for the search of premises alleged to be connected to Abramovich‘s business activities.

The police also agreed to pay damages and costs, confirmed that all copies of documents seized in the searches had been destroyed and that the police would apologise to Abramovich, the document said.

“Mr Abramovich has always acted in accordance with the law, we are pleased that the Jersey Police have conceded in relation to these unlawful and unfounded searches,” Abramovich‘s spokeswoman said.

Italy sticking with Nato, says Meloni after fears over Russia ties

Thursday 10 November 2022 20:30 , Liam James

Italy’s new prime minister Giorgia Meloni has pledged Italy’s “strong commitment” to Nato and efforts to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, taking a firm pro-alliance stance following the pro-Russia sentiments expressed by one of her governing coalition partners.

The hard-right leader told Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg during a meeting at her office in Rome that the best way to defend European security was to remain united.

“Given our principal challenge today, Italy strongly supports the territorial integrity, sovereignty and freedom of Ukraine,” Ms Meloni said with Mr Stoltenberg at her side. “The political cohesion of the alliance and our full commitment to supporting the Ukrainian cause are, from our point of view, the best response that Nato allies can give.”

Ms Meloni’s two principal coalition allies, former premier Silvio Berlusconi and League leader Matteo Salvini, have equivocated. They also have past ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In the days before Ms Meloni received a mandate to form a government, Mr Berlusconi boasted that he had reconnected with Mr Putin and the two exchanged gifts of wine and “sweet” notes as the Russian leader celebrated his 70th birthday.

Ukrainians protest Milan’s Russian opera

Thursday 10 November 2022 20:00 , Reuters

A Ukrainian diplomat has written to the head of Milan’s La Scala opera house and to local political leaders to protest over plans to stage the Russian opera “Boris Godunov” next month.

Andrii Kartysh, who heads Ukraine’s consulate in Milan, said such performances should not be used to support “potential elements of propaganda”, Italy’s Ansa news agency reported on Thursday.

“Boris Godunov” was composed by Modest Mussorgsky in the 19th century. Russian bass and soprano Ildar Abdrazakov and Anna Denisova are cast in the main roles for this production, which kicks off La Scala’s new season in early December. The event is one of the highlights of Italy’s cultural calendar.

Mr Kartysh accused Russia of “using culture to lend weight to its assertions of greatness and power” following its invasion of Ukraine in February.

Several associations representing Ukrainians living in Italy have also protested against the choice of Mussorgsky’s classic work at this time. They have called for a different opera to be staged and for no Russian works to be put on until the war is over.

Dominique Meyer, artistic director of the theatre, said when he presented the programme in June that he had no plans for a cultural boycott of Russia.

There was no immediate comment from La Scala on Thursday. A source close to the matter said it was too late to change long-established plans for the opening night, with the sets already in place.

Total 200,000 soldiers and 40,000 civilians killed in Ukraine, says US

Thursday 10 November 2022 19:30 , Liam James

A total of 200,000 soldiers and 40,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the nine months Russia invaded Ukraine, a top US general has said.

Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said “well over” 100,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Vladimir Putin’s war, adding that the Ukraine’s casualties is the “same thing probably”.

Speaking at The Economic Club of New York, he said: “There has been a tremendous amount of suffering, human suffering.”

Vladimir Putin to skip G20 summit in Bali, says Indonesian government official

Thursday 10 November 2022 19:00 , Liam James

Vladimir Putin will not attend a gathering of world leaders from the G20 nations in Indonesia next week, Indonesian and Russian officials confirmed, avoiding the platform where he would face western leaders for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is set to lead the Russian delegation at the two-day G20 summit in Bali, beginning 15 November.

Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the chief of support for G-20 events, told reporters in Denpasar, Indonesia, said Mr Putin explained his absence from the summit to the Indonesian president Joko Widodo and confirmed that Mr Lavrov will be present on his behalf.

“The Indonesian government respects the decision of the Russian government, which President Putin himself previously explained to President Joko Widodo in a very friendly telephone conversation,” said Mr Pandjaitan, who is also the coordinating minister of maritime and investment.

Yulia Tomskaya, the chief of protocol in Moscow’s embassy in Indonesia, also said President Putin’s programme was still being worked out and “he could participate virtually”.

Biden and Xi to meet next week

Thursday 10 November 2022 18:25 , Liam James

US president Joe Biden will meet Chinese president Xi Jinping for the first time on the sidelines of next week’s G20 summit in Bali, Indonesia, a face-to-face meeting that comes amid increasingly strained US-China relations, the White House announced today.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement the leaders will meet to “discuss efforts to maintain and deepen lines of communication between” the two countries and to “responsibly manage competition and work together where our interests align, especially on transnational challenges that affect the international community”.

Mr Biden on Wednesday told reporters that he intended to discuss with Mr Xi growing tensions between Washington and Beijing over the self-ruled island of Taiwan, trade policies, Beijing’s relationship with Russia and more.

The US president has repeatedly taken China to task for human rights abuses against the Uyghur people and other ethnic minorities, Beijing’s crackdowns on democracy activists in Hong Kong, coercive trade practices, military provocations against self-ruled Taiwan and differences over Russia’s prosecution of its war against Ukraine.

EU hits the road in army efficiency drive

Thursday 10 November 2022 17:55 , Liam James

The European Union has unveiled new proposals to help its armies move faster in times of conflict and to boost cyber security, citing Russia’s war on Ukraine as the drive.

The proposals aim to identify gaps in European infrastructure – such as roads, bridges, rail lines, ports or airports incapable of handling heavy or large military equipment – for priority upgrades and to ensure guaranteed access to fuel supplies right across the continent.

“I think it’s a wake-up call for all of us. We must reinforce our ability to defend ourselves and also to defend our values,” European Commission Vice-President Margrethe Vestager told reporters.

They would also cut red tape by developing a joint electronic administration system to reduce the time that armed forces on the move might be caught up by border formalities or customs and tax rules. Currently, armies can face waits of at least five days to move military equipment across borders for war games and other manoeuvres.

Thursday 10 November 2022 17:25 , Liam James

British soldier Aiden Aslin has revealed he will return to Ukraine, just 50 days after being freed from a death sentence at the hands of Russian forces.

The 28-year-old was captured by the Donetsk People’s Republic in April while fighting in Mariupol and was due to face a firing squad after being sentenced to death.

But the Saudi Crown Prince and ex-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich helped secure his release in September and he returned to the UK and his family.

Mr Aslin, of Newark, Nottinghamshire, has now revealed he is heading back to the war-torn country – this time not as a fighter but as a YouTube war correspondent.

He said: “It’s my home. Obviously I don’t want to be captured again, but I feel there is still work to be done. There are stories that need to be told.

“I promised my fiancee that I wouldn’t go back to the military. I don’t expect to ever pick up a weapon again. I know that I may be a recognisable face in Ukraine, but I feel it’s worth the risk.”

UK defence secretary holds off cheering Kherson liberation

Thursday 10 November 2022 16:53 , Liam James

Britain’s defence secretary put doubt to expectations Russia would make a clean exit from the Ukrainian city of Kherson, saying he will “believe it when we see it”.

Ben Wallace said it would be a “significant psychological blow” for Russian troops if they left the southern city, the only regional capital captured in nine months of fighting.

Mr Wallace was speaking in Edinburgh at a meeting of ministers from the Joint Expeditionary Force, a UK-led defence alliance of 10 northern European countries.

The alliance recommitted its support for the “sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Ukraine, with the Netherlands contributing an extra €100m £87m) to finance military material.

Along with other ministers, Mr Wallace stressed it is Ukraine’s choice whether they enter peace talks with Russia.

Power cuts another worry for Ukraine's critically ill

Thursday 10 November 2022 16:20 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Each time Ukrainian pensioner Halyna Halytska prepares for her hospital treatment, she is preoccupied with a single thought: Will there be enough power and water to see her through?

Outages, caused by Russian air strikes on Ukraine‘s infrastructure, can last for hours at a time as Halytska and 27 other patients lie tied to their dialysis machines in hospital in Obukhiv, a city south of Kyiv.

The power cuts hit pumping stations - a particular worry for the patients whose treatments use hundreds of litres of running water. Medics do their best. But sometimes the pipes run dry and they have to curtail the life-saving treatments.

“It’s a war and there’s nothing we can do about it,” 65-year-old Halytska said from her hospital bed.

Russia stepped up attacks on power plants, substations and other targets in mid-October amid numerous battlefield setbacks following its Feb. 24 invasion.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that around 40% of the country’s energy infrastructure has been seriously damaged.

On Thursday, Ukrainian Air Force spokesperson Yuriy Ihnat said on television that Russia was likely stockpiling missiles and drones for future strikes.

War expert predicts Ukraine will win war by next summer

Thursday 10 November 2022 15:43 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A senior war expert has said the war in Ukraine is expected to end by next summer- with Ukraine the winner.

Senior war studies fellow at King’s College London, Dr Mike Martin, told Times Radio: “Ukraine is eventually going to win it … we’ll probably see the war wrapping up late summer 2023.”

Kherson liberation an important step to victory and building greener Ukraine, official says

Thursday 10 November 2022 15:28 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Liberating the strategic city of Kherson would be an important step on the path to Ukrainian victory and transforming the country into a green economy, a member of Ukraine’s official delegation to Cop27 has said.

Russia’s military said on Wednesday that it would retreat from the only Ukrainian regional capital it has captured in more than eight months of war. But there is concern in Kyiv that it could be a ruse by Moscow to attack Ukrainian troops, said Oleksii Riabychn, who advises the government on its green transition.

Losing Kherson would deal a significant blow to Moscow, but even if it’s not the breakthrough Ukrainians hope it is, Mr Riabychn is convinced the war is headed in the right direction.

“We believe we will win,” he told The Independent at the crucial climate summit in Egypt on Thursday.

Our climate correspondent, Saphora Smith reports from Cop27 in Sharm El-Sheikh:

Kherson liberation an ‘important step to victory and building greener Ukraine’

Britain has frozen 18 billion pounds worth of Russian assets

Thursday 10 November 2022 15:12 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The British government said on Thursday it had frozen assets worth more than 18 billion pounds ($20.5 billion) held by Russian oligarchs, other individuals and businesses sanctioned over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

Russia has overtaken Libya and Iran to become Britain’s most-sanctioned nation, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI), part of the finance ministry, said in its annual report.

The frozen Russian assets were 6 billion pounds more than the amount reported across all other British sanctions regimes.

Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and businessman Mikhail Fridman are among those sanctioned this year, along with President Vladimir Putin, his family and military commanders.

The frozen assets are a combination of shareholdings in companies and cash held in bank accounts. It does not include physical assets such as real estate or assets held in Crown Dependencies such as Guernsey and Jersey.

The government has sanctioned 95% of Russian exports to Britain and all imports of Russian oil and gas will stop by the end of 2022.

“We have imposed the most severe sanctions ever on Russia and it is crippling their war machine,” said Andrew Griffith, a junior government minister in the Treasury in a statement.

“Our message is clear: we will not allow Putin to succeed in this brutal war.”

Britain has so far sanctioned more than 1,200 individuals including high-profile businessmen and prominent politicians and more than 120 entities in Russia.

Ukraine troops take back first Kherson village after Russia retreat

Thursday 10 November 2022 14:55 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukrainian troops have recaptured their first village in Kherson after Moscow was forced to withdraw their soldiers.

A small group of Ukrainian soldiers was shown on state television in the centre of the village of Snihurovka around 55 km (35 miles) north of Kherson city, greeting dozens of residents in a square with a Ukrainian flag fluttering from a pole behind them.

“Today, on Nov. 10, 2022, Snihurivka was liberated by the forces of the 131st Separate Intelligence Battalion. Glory to Ukraine!” a commander declared as the locals applauded, cheered and filmed the soldiers on their phones.

Read more:

Ukraine troops take back first Kherson village after Russia retreat

Nord Stream operator granted permission to survey Danish waters

Thursday 10 November 2022 14:41 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Nord Stream AG, the operator of the ruptured Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, has been granted permission to survey an area in Danish waters, the Danish Geodata Agency told Reuters on Thursday.

The operator has already sent a chartered ship to waters off the coast of Sweden to inspect the damage on the pipeline, which carries gas from Russia to Germany through the Baltic Sea.

Sweden and Denmark have both concluded that four leaks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines were caused by explosions, but have not said who might be responsible. World leaders have called it an act of sabotage.

The application, sent to the Danish Geodata Agency on Oct. 13, was given the green light on Nov. 1, an agency spokesperson said. It gives Nord Stream AG permission to survey depths in Denmark’s exclusive economic zone.

A Nord Stream AG representative was not immediately available for comment.

Initial data from the operator’s own investigations in Swedish waters found “technogenic craters”, meaning man-made, with a depth of 3-5 metres.

Power or profit: Why Iran is helping Russia wage war in Ukraine

Thursday 10 November 2022 14:16 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Iranian weapons allegedly used by Russia against Ukraine are under fresh scrutiny after Kyiv unveiled details about Western-sourced components of drones it had captured on the battlefield.

Ukraine’s defence ministry says that an Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drone used by Russian forces in the skies of eastern Europe bore dates suggesting it was manufactured in February, the month Moscow launched its attack, potentially contradicting Tehran’s claims that it had sold the weapons before the war began.

Kyiv says the drones used parts made in the United States, Austria and Japan, while Canada has conceded that engines it sold Iran could have been used for the drones.

Our international correspondent Borzou Daragahi reports:

Power or profit: Why Iran is helping Russia wage war in Ukraine

Russia says troops begin to withdraw from key Ukrainian city- some context

Thursday 10 November 2022 14:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia said its troops began pulling out of a strategic Ukrainian city on Thursday, a retreat that would represent a humiliating defeat in the grinding war.

Ukrainian officials acknowledged Moscow’s forces had no choice but to flee but stopped short of declaring victory in Kherson.

It was difficult to know what was happening in the industrial port city, from which tens of thousands have fled in recent weeks.

Some Western observers, including the highest-ranking US military officer, said they believed the Kremlin’s forces have been forced to pull out — though a full withdrawal could take some time.

Ukrainian officials have warned for weeks that any announcement of a Russian retreat should be treated skeptically.

They have accused Moscow of plotting to lure Ukrainian troops into an ambush and said Russian soldiers have donned civilian clothes in an effort to melt into the city’s population.

But on Thursday, Ukraine‘s armed forces commander-in-chief, Valeriy Zaluzhny, said that “the enemy had no other choice but to resort to fleeing,” since Kyiv’s army has “destroyed logistical routes and supply system, disrupted the system of the enemy’s military command” in the area.

Still, he said that Ukrainian military could not confirm or deny that Russian forces were indeed withdrawing from Kherson as the Russian Defense Ministry reported Thursday.

The ministry said there was a “maneuver of units of the Russian group” to the opposite side of the Dnieper River from where Kherson lies, a day after ordering a withdrawal.

But another senior Ukrainian official offered another reason to be wary of any pullback: Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak alleged Russian forces had laid mines throughout Kherson, saying they wanted to turn it into a “city of death.”

Twenty-two per cent of Ukraine land lost since 2014

Thursday 10 November 2022 13:43 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Besides the human losses, Ukraine has lost control of around 22 per cent of its land to Russia since the 2014 annexation of Crimea, according to Reuters calculations.

It has lost a swathe of coastline, its economy has been crippled and some cities have been turned into wastelands by Russian shelling. Ukraine‘s economy will contract by 45 per cent in 2022, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund have estimated.

The true dollar cost to Ukraine is unclear. It is unclear how much Ukraine has spent on fighting.

Russia coming under heavy pressure in Ukraine, says Nato chief

Thursday 10 November 2022 13:26 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday Russia was coming under heavy pressure in Ukraine after Moscow ordered the withdrawal of its troops from the southern city of Kherson.

Speaking after meeting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Stoltenberg said Nato would be watching in the coming days to see if the Russians did indeed pull back from the west bank of the Dnipro River.

“What is clear is that Russia is coming under heavy pressure and if they leave Kherson it would be another victory for Ukraine,” Stoltenberg told reporters after talks with new prime minister Meloni.

He added that Nato would support Ukraine “for as long as it takes”.

“The unprecedented support that Nato allies, including Italy, has provided is making a difference on the battleground every day and remains vital for the Ukrainian progress,” he told reporters.

Meloni, who took office last month, said her government remained committed to defending “the territorial integrity, sovereignty and freedom of Ukraine“.

Russia says it will pursue gas cooperation with Turkey, grain exports at G20

Thursday 10 November 2022 13:08 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia will announce a number of initiatives related to gas cooperation with Turkey and grain exports at a gathering of leaders from the Group of 20 (G20) nations in Indonesia next week, the foreign ministry said on Thursday.

“A number of specific initiatives are planned, including increasing gas cooperation with Turkey, (and) organising large shipments of grain and fertilisers,” it said in a statement.

President Vladimir Putin, who will not be attending the summit in person, has proposed the idea of creating what he calls a “gas hub” in Turkey, via which shipments of Russian gas could be sold on to the European market.

The foreign ministry said it hoped the summit would contribute to the establishment of a “multipolar” world, a term Putin often uses to criticise what he argues is Western dominance in global affairs.

Russia‘s presence at the G20 meeting has drawn criticism from Western countries and Ukraine, who called for Putin to be barred from attending the summit.

Russian and Indonesian officials said on Thursday that Putin would not go in person but may join virtually. Instead, Russia‘s delegation in Bali will be fronted by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

The human cost of Putin’s war: 200,000 soldiers and 40,000 civilians killed in Ukraine

Thursday 10 November 2022 12:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A total of 200,000 soldiers and 40,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the nine months Russia invaded Ukraine, a top US general has said.

Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said “well over” 100,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in Vladimir Putin’s war, adding that the Ukraine’s casualties is the “same thing probably”.

Speaking at The Economic Club of New York, he said: “There has been a tremendous amount of suffering, human suffering.”

It comes as Russia announced this week that it has begun a retreat from Kherson, where civilians were evacuated in masses ealier this month as the streets prepared for battle.

Read more here:

The human cost of Putin’s war: 200,000 soldiers, 40,000 civilians killed in Ukraine

Ukrainian forces advance in south, capture 12 settlements - army chief

Thursday 10 November 2022 12:35 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukrainian forces have advanced seven km (4.3 miles) in two directions in the south and captured 12 new settlements in the last 24 hours, Ukrainian army chief Valeriy Zaluzhnyi said on Thursday.

“We can’t yet confirm or deny the information of the so-called withdrawal of Russian occupation troops from Kherson. We continue to conduct the offensive operation in line with our plan,” he wrote in a post on Telegram.

EU proposes cyber, armed forces plans amid security concerns

Thursday 10 November 2022 12:20 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The European Commission on Thursday proposed two action plans to address the “deteriorating security environment” following Russia‘s invasion of Ukraine, to bolster cyber defence and to allow armed forces to move faster and better across borders.

“Cyberspace has no borders,” the European Union’s executive said in a statement. “Recent cyber-attacks on energy networks, transport infrastructure and space assets show the risks that they pose to both civilian and military actors.”

It said this called for more action to protect citizens and armed forces, as well as the EU’s civilian and military missions and operations, against cyber threats.

A separate Action Plan on Military Mobility will help European armed forces to respond better, more rapidly and at sufficient scale to crises erupting at the EU’s external borders and beyond, the Commission said.

Ukraine still publicly cautious about Russia’s Kherson retreat

Thursday 10 November 2022 12:05 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The Ukrainian military said it could neither confirm nor deny that Russian forces were indeed pulling out.

Volodymyr Zelensky himself was also cautious, mentioning Kherson just once in his daily overnight television address. Ukrainian forces were strengthening their positions “step by step” in the south, he said. “The enemy will make no gifts to us.”

Kyiv has hoped to trap thousands of Russian troops in the pocket, and appears to be advancing cautiously to protect its own troops, while inflicting as much damage as possible on the Russians as they try to escape across the river.

At the front north of Kherson there was less artillery audible than usual. A heavy fog had settled in overnight, light snow fell and the ground was coated with frost. Ukrainian troops manning checkpoints were buttoned up against the cold.

Vitaliy Kim, governor of Mykolaiv region which includes Snihurivka, stopped short of proclaiming the area liberated pending an official announcement by the military, but said authorities were planning a shipment of aid there.

“I know for sure that this decision was not easy for anyone. Not for those who took it, nor for those of us who understood it would be so but still prayed it wouldn’t happen,” said Margarita Simonyan, head of RT, Russia‘s international propaganda channel.

Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu was shown on TV on Wednesday giving the retreat order in response to advice from his top commander who said it was necessary to save the lives of troops who would be better able to defend the Dnipro’s opposite bank.

Ukrainian troops recapture first village after Russia orders Kherson retreat

Thursday 10 November 2022 11:48 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Jubilant Ukrainian troops proclaimed the liberation on Thursday of the first village they recaptured since Moscow ordered one of the war’s biggest retreats, but Kyiv remained wary, warning that fleeing Russians could turn Kherson into a “city of death”.

A small group of Ukrainian soldiers was shown on state television in the centre of the village of Snihurovka around 55 km (35 miles) north of Kherson city, greeting dozens of residents in a square with a Ukrainian flag fluttering from a pole behind them. Reuters verified the location of the video.

“Today, on Nov. 10, 2023, Snihurivka was liberated by the forces of the 131st Separate Intelligence Battalion. Glory to Ukraine!” a commander declared as the locals applauded, cheered and filmed the soldiers on their phones.

Petro Lupan, 46, distributing bread to residents along another part of the front line north of Kherson, told Reuters he had just learned of the recapture of Snihurivka from a friend he had reached by phone in the village.

“I can’t find words to describe my feelings,” he said.

The advance took place less than a day after Moscow ordered its troops to withdraw from the entire Russian-held pocket on the west bank of the Dnipro River, including Kherson city, the only regional capital Russia had captured in nine months of war.

Putin ‘fears assassination’ after bitter Kherson defeat

Thursday 10 November 2022 11:09 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Vladimir Putin is worried about assassination attempts, political analyst Sergey Markov has said, after the Russian president decided not to travel to Bali for the G20 summit.

Mr Markov said: “The reasons as to why Putin is not going to G20 are serious,’ he said. “There is a big possibility of an assassination attempt on Putin from the special services of the US, Britain and Ukraine.”

He added that another reason for Putin’s absence at the summit is because of “a possibility of humiliating situations”.

“ For example, some disabled social activist knocks Putin down - as if accidentally - and all world media splash a picture with a caption ‘President of Russia is down on all fours’.

“I am certain this kind of situation is being planned by some completely mad Westerners.”

Mr Markov also stated that the recent withdrawl of Russian troops from Kherson is anothe reason why Putin is afraid.

“After defeat in Kherson, Russia’s status as a great state is questionable,” he said. “They will be putting pressure on, and demand soft capitulation.”

Russia wants to turn Kherson into 'city of death', Kyiv says

Thursday 10 November 2022 10:43 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

A senior adviser to Ukraine‘s president said on Thursday Russia wanted to turn Kherson into a “city of death” after Moscow ordered its troops to withdraw from the southern Ukrainian city.

Political adviser Mykhailo Podolyak accused Russia of mining everything from apartments to sewers and planning to shell Kherson from the other side of the River Dnipro.

“RF (Russia) wants to turn Kherson into a ‘city of death’. The Russian military mines everything they can: apartments, sewers. Artillery on the left bank plans to turn the city into ruins,” Podolyak wrote on Twitter.

“This is what (the) ‘Russian world’ looks like: came, robbed, celebrated, killed ‘witnesses’, left ruins and left.”

Russia did not immediately comment on Podolyak’s remarks.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday announced Russian forces would retreat from the west bank of the Dnipro River, which includes Kherson, the only regional capital Moscow had captured since invading Ukraine in February.

Ukraine‘s military said it was still unable to confirm Russian troops were withdrawing from Kherson.

Brigadier General Oleksiy Gromov told a briefing that the Ukrainian armed forces own actions had left Russian forces no option but to withdraw.

“But at the moment, we can neither confirm nor deny the information about the so-called Russian withdrawal of troops from Kherson. We will continue our offensive operation in accordance with our plan,” he said.

Russia summons Latvian ambassador over demolition of Soviet-era monuments

Thursday 10 November 2022 10:18 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia‘s foreign ministry said on Thursday that it had summoned the Latvian ambassador in protest over what it said was the demolition of Soviet-era monuments.

“A strong protest was issued to the head of the Latvian diplomatic mission in connection with the ongoing policy of state vandalism in Latvia to dismantle Soviet memorials,” the foreign ministry said.

Ukrainian troops claim capture of frontline southern town

Thursday 10 November 2022 09:51 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukrainian troops claimed on Thursday to have recaptured the town of Snihurivka in southern Mykolaiv region from Russian forces, speaking in video footage published on social media and by Ukrainian national television.

The footage could not immediately be verified by Reuters and there was no immediate confirmation of the town’s recapture from Ukraine‘s Defence Ministry, a day after Russia ordered its forces to retreat from the area.

“Today on Nov. 10, Snihurivka was liberated by the forces of the 131st Separate Intelligence Battalion. Glory to Ukraine!” a soldier shouted as civilians clapped and cheered.

Fog hung over the settlement in the background as the soldier stood in a group of heavily armed troops, one of whom was holding up the Ukrainian flag on a military infantry vehicle.

Britain says it has frozen 18 billion pounds worth of Russian assets

Thursday 10 November 2022 09:21 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

The British government said on Thursday that it had frozen assets together worth 18 billion pounds ($20.5 billion) held by Russian oligarchs, other individuals and entities sanctioned for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.

The frozen Russian assets were 6 billion pounds more than the amount reported across all other British sanctions regimes.

“We have imposed the most severe sanctions ever on Russia and it is crippling their war machine,” said Andrew Griffith, a junior government minister in the Treasury. “Our message is clear: we will not allow Putin to succeed in this brutal war.”

Russia's war hawks rally behind decision to abandon Ukrainian city of Kherson

Thursday 10 November 2022 08:50 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Russia‘s leading war hawks on Wednesday swiftly rallied behind the decision to abandon the Ukrainian city of Kherson, putting a brave face on one of Moscow’s most humiliating retreats in nearly nine months of war.

The pullout proposed by general Sergei Surovikin, appointed last month to take overall charge of Russia‘s war effort, means Moscow is giving up a strategic city just north of annexed Crimea, the only Ukrainian provincial capital it had captured since its Feb. 24 invasion.

With Ukraine threatening to pin Russian forces against the west bank of the Dnipro River where they cannot easily be supplied, the shaven-headed Surovikin proposed to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu that Russia adopt new defensive lines on the opposite bank in order to preserve soldiers’ lives.

A grim-faced Shoigu agreed and ordered his troops to withdraw.

The decision - described by one Russian military blogger as “a black page in the history of the Russian army” - was nonetheless quickly defended by some of the most high-profile proponents of the war as a wise and necessary action.

“After weighing all the pros and cons, General Surovikin made the difficult but right choice between senseless sacrifices for the sake of loud statements and saving the priceless lives of soldiers,” said Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader who has frequently urged a more aggressive approach to the war and has even called for the use of low-grade nuclear weapons.

Another increasingly outspoken war hawk - Yevgeny Prigozhin, founder of the Wagner mercenary group which is fighting for Russia in Ukraine - was quoted by the RIA news agency as saying: “The decision taken by Surovikin is not easy, but he acted like a man who is not afraid of responsibility.”

Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of state media outlet RT, went even further, comparing the retreat to the decision by General Mikhail Kutuzov to abandon Moscow to Napoleon in 1812 for the sake of preserving his army and saving Russia.

Jersey police admit unlawfully searching premises linked to Roman Abramovich

Thursday 10 November 2022 08:30 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Police in Jersey have admitted they conducted unlawful searches at premises allegedly linked to Russian businessman Roman Abramovich and have agreed to pay damages and apologise, according to a legal document seen by Reuters.

Jersey police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Ukraine forces strengthening ‘step by step’- Zelensky

Thursday 10 November 2022 08:15 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Ukrainian forces were strengthening their positions “step by step” in the south, Volodymyr Zelensky said in a Wednesday night address that mentioned Kherson just once, and warned that “the enemy will make no gifts to us.”

US president Joe Biden said Moscow’s order to withdraw from Kherson showed there were “some real problems with the Russian military.”

Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg, speaking to Sky News during a visit to London, welcomed the news on Kherson but also warned that “Russia can still inflict a lot of damage.”

Compounding the sense of Russian disarray in Kherson, Moscow’s number two official there, Kirill Stremousov, was killed on Wednesday in what Moscow said was a car crash.

Russia‘s leading war hawks on Wednesday endorsed the decision to abandon Kherson city, putting a brave face on one of Moscow’s most humiliating retreats.

“After weighing all the pros and cons, General Surovikin made the difficult but right choice between senseless sacrifices for the sake of loud statements and saving the priceless lives of soldiers,” said Ramzan Kadyrov, the Chechen leader who has frequently urged a more aggressive approach to the war.

Russian commander says no longer possible to supply Kherson

Thursday 10 November 2022 08:00 , Maryam Zakir-Hussain

Moscow ordered troops to withdraw from near the strategic southern Ukrainian city of Kherson in a major setback as a top US general estimated Russia has suffered more than 100,000 killed or wounded since invading its neighbour in February.

Defence minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday announced Russian forces would retreat from the west bank of the Dnipro River near Kherson in what could be a turning point in the war.

Ukraine reacted with caution, noting some Russian forces remained in Kherson and reinforcements were being sent to the region.

“They are moving out but not as much as would be taking place if it was a full pullout or regrouping,” Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to president Volodymyr Zelensky, said in a video posted online on Wednesday night.

Russian forces were destroying bridges as they left and mining roads, Arestovych said.

“For the moment, we don’t know their intentions - will they engage in fighting with us and will they try to hold the city of Kherson? They are moving very slowly,” he said.

Ukraine army tweets about UK missibles

Thursday 10 November 2022 07:48 , Zoe Tidman

Ukraine’s army has tweeted about the UK’s promise to deliver more weapons:

‘Well over’ 100,000 Russian soldiers killed or wounded, US says

Thursday 10 November 2022 07:36 , Zoe Tidman

A top US army general says “well over” 100,000 Russian soldiers have been killed or wounded in the Ukraine war.

Mark Milley, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said: “Same thing probably on the Ukrainian side.”

Read more:

100,000 Russian troops killed or injured in Ukraine, US says

UK intelligence update on Ukraine war

Thursday 10 November 2022 07:27 , Zoe Tidman

The UK defence ministry has given its latest assessment on the situation in Ukraine.

It says Russia’s ability to keep forces on the west bank of the Dnipro river around Kherson has been put under pressure due to Ukrainian attacks on resupply routes.

See here:

Vladimir Putin to skip G20 summit in Bali, says Indonesian government official

Thursday 10 November 2022 07:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Vladimir Putin will not attend a gathering of world leaders from the G20 nations in Indonesia next week, Indonesian and Russian officials confirmed, avoiding the platform where he would face western leaders for the first time since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is set to lead the Russian delegation at the two-day G20 summit in Bali, beginning 15 November.

Read the full story here:

Vladimir Putin to skip G20 summit in Bali, says Indonesian government official

Ukraine rubbishes Russia’s fresh offer of peace talks, ‘always received a contemptuous reaction’

Thursday 10 November 2022 06:45 , Maroosha Muzaffar

After Russian officials expressed willingness for negotiations with Kyiv given the “realities that are emerging”, Ukraine’s foreign ministry spokesman Oleh Nikolenko said that he was sceptical of the offer.

During a press conference, Tass reported that Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said: “We are still open to negotiations. We have never refused to have them. We are ready to negotiate, of course, taking into account the realities that are emerging at the moment.”

However, Ukraine’s Mr Nikolenko said: “Russian officials are beginning to mention talks every time their troops are defeated on the battlefield…We already went through this in 2014-2015.”

He added that Ukraine has repeatedly offered negotiations, but “it has always received a contemptuous reaction, a demand to obey the Kremlin’s ultimatums or another act of genocide against Ukrainians,” Kyiv Independent quoted him as saying.

Israel refuses air defence systems to Ukraine, citing its production capacity

Thursday 10 November 2022 06:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Israel doesn’t have the production capacity to supply air defence systems to Ukraine, outgoing Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz has said.

Mr Gantz told reporters yesterday that “it is clear that even if it decided that we change our policy, it is impossible to empty our supply of air defence systems. We are checking every day what can be done and how we can expand our aid, but we must not forget that Nato stands behind Ukraine.”

Mr Gantz made the comments as Kyiv continues to push Israel to supply weaponry. But, the Jerusalem Post reported, Israel refuses to send any weaponry that can be deemed as lethal weaponry.

Russian attacks on infrastructure and blackouts could lead Ukraine’s GDP to fall by 39%

Thursday 10 November 2022 06:22 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Ukrainian economy minister Yulia Svyrydenko yesterday said Russia’s attacks on civilian infrastructure and rolling blackouts could result in a bigger contraction of gross domestic product in 2022 than the earlier forecast of a 35 per cent drop, Reuters reported. She said Ukraine’s gross domestic product will likely fall by 39 per cent year-on-year in 2022.

“The problem is that companies are not working. If the blackouts are going to continue during the next few weeks, GDP might fall more,” she said.

Ms Svyrydenko told reporters in Washington where she was meeting with senior US officials that Kyiv would continue to need foreign budgetary assistance.

She added that as a response to the recession, Kyiv is taking steps to downsize the government and exploring the possibility of privatising small state-owned companies.

US refuses advanced drones to Kyiv despite repeated pleas

Thursday 10 November 2022 06:10 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The US has refused Ukraine’s request for advanced drones, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Kyiv’s request for Gray Eagle MQ-1C drones has been under consideration for months. But the Pentagon has declined the request to avoid escalating the conflict with Russia.

The decision came when Russian troops retreated from Kherson on Wednesday.

The report, quoting US officials familiar with the matter, says that providing Kyiv with the advanced drones could signal to Moscow that the US was providing weapons that could target positions inside Russia.

Head of Russian forces in Ukraine says ‘hard decision’ to retreat from Kherson

Thursday 10 November 2022 05:50 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Russian defence minister, Sergei Shoigu, approved the withdrawal of troops from Kherson. And General Sergey Surovikin, head of Russian forces in Ukraine said yesterday that it was “a hard decision”, Kyiv Independent reported.

“Having assessed the situation, I propose to prepare defences along the left bank of the Dnipro River,” he added.

“We have data that everything of value has already been moved out of Kherson,” Serhiy Tsehotskiy, the press officer of the Russian forces.

“We know for certain that the entire city administration, all the government institutions, are already empty, the buildings don’t even have flags anymore.”

Russia-installed deputy governor of Kherson dies in car crash

Thursday 10 November 2022 05:27 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The deputy governor of Kherson, installed by the Kremlin, was killed in a car crash, the local media reported.

Kirill Stremousov, 45, was appointed the deputy governor two months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Kherson’s Russian-appointed governor Vladimir Saldo also confirmed his death and later Vladimir Putin posthumously awarded him a prestigious Russian medal, the Order of Courage.

The car crash took place on a road between Kherson city and Armyansk, a town to the south-east of Crimea.

Ukraine responds with caution to Russia’s retreat from Kherson, ‘enemy does not bring us gifts’

Thursday 10 November 2022 05:25 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Ukraine responded with some caution on Wednesday to the reported news that Russia has withdrawn from Kherson, the only major city it has captured since the start of the conflict.

Volodymyr Zelensky, during his national address, urged restraint despite “a lot of joy in the media space today”, adding “the enemy does not bring us gifts, does not make ‘gestures of goodwill’. We fight our way up.”

“And when you are fighting, you must understand that every step is always resistance from the enemy, it is always the loss of the lives of our heroes.

“Therefore, we move very carefully, without emotions, without unnecessary risk. In the interests of the liberation of our entire land and so that the losses are as small as possible.”

Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to Zelensky, said in a statement to Reuters: “Until the Ukrainian flag is flying over Kherson, it makes no sense to talk about a Russian withdrawal.”

Putin to miss G20 summit in Bali next week

Thursday 10 November 2022 05:18 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Russian president Vladimir Putin will not attend the G20 summit in Indonesia next week, the Associated Press reported.

Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, the Chief of Support for G20 events told reporters in Denpasar, Indonesia today: “The Indonesian government respects the decision of the Russian government, which President Putin himself previously explained to President Joko Widodo in a very friendly telephone conversation.”

Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov will lead the Russian delegation instead.

Power or profit: Why Iran is helping Russia wage war in Ukraine

Thursday 10 November 2022 05:10 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Iranian weapons allegedly used by Russia against Ukraine are under fresh scrutiny after Kyiv unveiled details about Western-sourced components of drones it had captured on the battlefield.

Ukraine’s defence ministry says that an Iranian-made Mohajer-6 drone used by Russian forces in the skies of eastern Europe bore dates suggesting it was manufactured in February, the month Moscow launched its attack, potentially contradicting Tehran’s claims that it had sold the weapons before the war began.

Power or profit: Why Iran is helping Russia wage war in Ukraine

Russia faces up to significant strategic defeat with Kherson withdrawal

Thursday 10 November 2022 04:55 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The withdrawal from the western bank of the River Dnipro means the loss of Kherson, the only regional capital Russia had captured in the conflict, and deals a severe blow to plans to establish a land corridor to Crimea and secure the water supply to the Russian-controlled peninsula.

Recapture of the port city would give Ukraine significant leverage in future talks, Kim Sengupta writes:

Russia faces up to a significant strategic defeat in Kherson

British man killed in Ukraine as family pay tribute to ‘real life hero’

Thursday 10 November 2022 04:40 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The family of a British man who died in Ukraine has described him as a “real hero”.

Simon Lingard died fighting for the Ukrainian side on 7 November after his military unit was attacked, his son Jackson said.

“My Dad was an inspiration to all who knew him, a real life hero who died fighting for what he believed in.

“He was loved and adored by so many. A true representation of what a soldier should be,” said Jackson.

“I can’t put into words how much he is (and will be) missed, but I’m comforted to know that this happened doing what he loved and surrounded by friends. I love you dad, I’m so proud of you.”

British man killed in Ukraine as family pay tribute to ‘real life hero’

UK to provide 1,000 more air defence missiles to Ukraine

Thursday 10 November 2022 04:31 , Maroosha Muzaffar

The UK is sending 1,000 surface-to-air missiles to Ukraine to boost its defence against the Russian invasion, defence secretary Ben Wallace has announced.

It comes as Vladimir Putin’s troops were ordered to pull out of occupied city of Kherson in the face of continued Ukrainian attacks.

The shipment of British missiles comes in response to requests from Kyiv more air defence capabilities, as Rishi Sunak vowed to support Ukraine against “Russian aggression”.

Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg said he was “absolutely confident” the UK will continue to “lead by example” on defence spending – as he called on Nato allies and partners to do more.

“The United Kingdom has led by example over many years when it comes to... defence spending, spending more than 2 per cent of GDP on defence,” he told reporters outside No 10 after meeting Mr Sunak.

He added: “But of course in a more dangerous world we need to invest more in our defence, and I am absolutely confident that the United Kingdom will continue to lead by example.”

UK to provide 1,000 more air defence missiles to Ukraine

Russia’s Kherson retreat shows its military has ‘some real problems’, Joe Biden says

Thursday 10 November 2022 04:18 , Maroosha Muzaffar

US president Joe Biden said that Russia’s decision to withdraw from Kherson shows its military has “some real problems”.

He also suggested that Russia’s retreat would allow both sides to “recalibrate their positions” over the winter.

“It’s evidence of the fact that they have some real problems, Russia, the Russian military,” the US president told reporters. “I find it interesting that they waited until after the [US midterm] election to make that judgment.”

Kherson retreat is an opportunity for Russia and Ukraine to negotiate peace, US Joint Chiefs of Staff says

Thursday 10 November 2022 04:03 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Russia’s retreat from Kherson could provide Kyiv and Moscow with an opportunity to negotiate peace, US Army General and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley said.

He added that as many as 40,000 Ukrainian civilians and “well over 100,000 Russian soldiers” have been killed or wounded in the war. “Same thing probably on the Ukrainian side.”

“There has been a tremendous amount of suffering, human suffering,” he added.

Speaking at the Economic Club in New York, Mr Miller said it’s possible the Russians will use the retreat to reset their troops for a spring offensive, but “there’s also an opportunity here, a window of opportunity for negotiation.”

He continued that Russia and Ukraine will have to come to a “mutual recognition” that a military victory “is maybe not achievable through military means, and therefore you need to turn to other means.”

Thursday 10 November 2022 03:56 , Maroosha Muzaffar

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live blog of the Ukraine war for Thursday 10 November.