“Today we have good news from the south — the number of Ukrainian flags returning to their rightful place as part of the ongoing defense operation already reaches dozens. 41 settlements have been liberated,” Zelensky said. Zelensky used his daily video address to congratulate several units that took part in the advance through the southern Kherson region. He added, “What is happening now has been achieved with months of hard struggle. It was achieved with courage, pain and loss. It is not the enemy that is fleeing. It is the Ukrainians who are chasing the conquerors at great cost.” Zelensky said police units had moved into several settlements in Kherson to begin stabilization measures, but liberating Ukrainian territory was only the first step in a long process. “First and foremost is demining. The occupiers are leaving behind thousands of mines and unexploded ordnance. I have often heard estimates that clearing Ukraine of Russian mines will take decades. We cannot wait that long,” said Ukrainian president. “Invaders mine everything: power lines, business enterprises, fields, forests,” he said. “At the height of mine contamination in Ukraine, we had 300,000 square kilometers of life-threatening territory.” Now, he said, thanks to the efforts of the pioneers, “about 170,000 square kilometers remain to be demined. In particular, this is in the most difficult places – where the fighting continues, where the enemy will add more mines before withdrawing, as it is now in Kherson.” Zelenskiy thanked the dozens of countries that helped with demining. He also referred to Ukraine’s goals in the conflict. “We must go all the way — on the battlefield and in diplomacy — so that our flags, Ukrainian flags and never again enemy tricolors are on our entire land, within our internationally recognized borders,” he said. Zelensky also thanked the Netherlands and the United States for new aid infusions – about $100 million from the Netherlands and a new military aid package from the US. “Significant air defense assets. Exactly what we need, what we asked for,” he said
