The Ukrainian army entered the city of Kherson, abandoned by the Russian military following the announcement by Defense Minister Shoiugu and after the evacuation of the civilian population had been completed in the preceding weeks. In retreating to the east of the city, the Russians had also blown up the bridges over the Dnieper River: an action that makes it highly unlikely that the Kremlin will rethink the fate of the region.
There has been much discussion in recent days about what happened in Kherson, an area in which just a few weeks ago one of the referendums for entry into the borders of the Russian Federation was held that the Kremlin had promptly recognized along with those of the other republics.
The Ukrainian side hailed the Russian decision as its own military victory, but several observers argue that at this moment secret negotiations could be underway between the Kremlin, Washington and Kiev to at least reach a ceasefire or a first draft agreement. An hypothesis that would be corroborated by several signals, including a very latest indiscretion leaked through the NYT, according to which the American joint chief of staff, Mark Milley, would have said he was convinced that Kiev has done everything possible on the military level and should now try to cement the advance at the negotiating table. According to this reading, the abandonment of the city of Kherson by the Russians could be part of the agreements that are taking place outside the spotlight.
Even the spokesman for the Kremlin, Dimitri Peskov, today released a statement that would suggest possible peace negotiations:
The special military operation in Ukraine may end with the achievement of its objectives, or the achievement of the objectives through peace negotiations, which is possible.
For his part, Zelensky seems to continue to block the way to any agreement that recognizes the independence of the pro-Russian republics:
I have not closed the doors: I am ready to speak with Russia, but with a different Russia, truly ready for peace, ready to recognize that it is an occupier, ready to give everything back to our people. There is no mention of money. But of land, freedom, truth and money.
An appeal for a ceasefire arrived in the past few hours from Samarkand, on the sidelines of the meeting of the Turkish states in a joint note signed by Erdogan and Orban: the two leaders agree that, as regards the situation in Ukraine, there is urgent need for a ceasefire, dialogue and peace.
References:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/11/10/us/politics/biden-ukraine-russia-diplomacy.html
