Zelenskyy: Russia Rotates Troops in Kherson Under Cover of Aid Mission

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian forces used a humanitarian operation in Oleshky, Kherson Oblast, to rotate troops and equipment on the left bank of the Dnipro River. He said this move allowed Russia to send additional occupation forces into the city and the surrounding administrative unit, known locally as a hromada.

Zelenskyy made these remarks on X following a meeting with heads of regional administrations. He noted that the military leadership in Ukraine is tasked with presenting proposals to better protect residents of Kherson from Russian attacks. The meeting also addressed the state of power systems in Zhytomyr Oblast, where the Ministry of Energy has been assigned a specific task to review infrastructure.

The president outlined other regional updates from the session. Ukrainian forces in Sumy Oblast received specific orders to counter Russian operations. Discussions also covered winter preparations for critical infrastructure in Kharkiv Oblast and the restoration of power in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast after recent strikes. Zelenskyy reported that Russian attacks on Kramatorsk and its surrounding community have intensified, with countermeasures to be decided at a later staff meeting.

Zelenskyy previously argued that the ceasefire experience in Oleshky demonstrated that a truce could be established quickly without lengthy preparations, weapon withdrawals, or buffer zones. The recent troop rotation occurred despite this earlier framework for local ceasefires.