As we’ve remarked here before, what we commemorate or celebrate as Veterans Day in the US is commemorated by many of our allies as Remembrance Day or Armistice Day. Most of the reason for this is that our Memorial Day is tied to the Great Rebellion not World War I. But while the guns fell silent to end World War I, which was the active, first interstate phase of what would be a forty plus year conflict on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, today 104 years later the guns are not silent in Europe. They are not silent as the Ukrainians continue the defense of their state and society. They are not silent as the Ukrainians continue to push the Russian invaders out of Ukraine. They are not silent as the Ukrainians fight the active phase of a war that Russia has been waging against them, the EU, NATO, and the US using all elements of national power since 2014. They are not silent because the Ukrainians are fighting and dying not just to liberate their own country from the Russian invaders, but by doing so to set the conditions that will keep anyone else from having to fight off the Russians as well.
The 11th day of the 11th month is also, now, Liberation of Kherson Day!
To feel the freedom…again. https://t.co/ajTGAfsJln
— Patron (@PatronDsns) November 11, 2022
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump:
Ukrainians!
Strong people of our indomitable, beautiful and united country!
Today is a historic day. We are regaining the south of our country, regaining Kherson. As of now, our defenders are approaching the city, there is still quite a bit left and we are starting to enter. However, special units are already in the city.
The people of Kherson were waiting. They never gave up on Ukraine. Hope for Ukraine is always justified – and Ukraine always regains its own.
I am happy to see how people, despite all the threats, despite the repression and abuse of the occupiers, cherished the Ukrainian flags, believed in Ukraine…
And even when the city is not yet completely cleansed of the enemy’s presence, the people of Kherson themselves are already removing Russian symbols and any traces of the occupiers’ stay in Kherson from the streets and buildings.
It was the same in all other cities liberated by our defenders. It will be the same in those cities that are still waiting for our return. Ukraine will come to all its people. Due to our strength on the battlefield and in diplomacy, we will restore the territorial integrity of our state.
I thank every warrior and every unit of the defense forces who are making this offensive operation in the south possible now. Absolutely everyone – from privates to generals. The Armed Forces, intelligence, Security Service, National Guard – all who were bringing this day closer for the Kherson region. We will name all the heroes soon. And they will be awarded even sooner.
Shortly after our defense forces reach the designated frontiers, stabilization measures will begin in Kherson, as was the case everywhere. We consistently neutralize the threats.
The first is mines. The occupiers left a lot of mines and explosives, in particular on vital objects. We will carry out demining.
It is very important: now, when demining has not even begun, we cannot ensure access of media representatives to Kherson. It is necessary to demine at least basic communications, check the main objects.
We will restore all conditions of normal life – as much as possible.
Our defenders are immediately followed by policemen, sappers, rescuers, energy workers… Medicine, communications, social services are returning… Life is returning.
I would like to separately address those Russian soldiers, mercenaries and collaborators who were left behind in Kherson and other cities of the south. The only chance for salvation for you is to surrender to Ukrainian captivity. We guarantee that you will be treated in accordance with the law and international standards. And to those Russian soldiers who have put on civilian clothes and are hiding somewhere I want to say that there is no point in hiding. We’ll find you anyway. Don’t drag it out. Voluntary Ukrainian captivity is the only option for all occupiers.
I held another meeting of the Staff of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief today. First and foremost is the situation on the frontline, of course, with an emphasis on the developments in the south. But we do not reduce our attention to other areas. We are moving everywhere, reinforcing our positions everywhere. We are holding the line in the Donetsk region.
Separately, the situation in the energy sector and the course of restoration work were reviewed. Last night, the occupiers dealt another blow to our critical infrastructure. It is because of this that emergency blackouts had to be applied in parts of the country this morning and afternoon. But in most cities and districts we managed to return to the schedule of stabilization energy restrictions.
And we are working as actively as possible to strengthen our ability to protect the sky and restore everything that the occupiers, unfortunately, destroyed.
I spoke today with Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz. Informed him about the situation in Kherson, generally at the front. I thanked him for the next steps in defense support, we agreed on the development of such cooperation.
Of course, preparations for the G20 summit were discussed. It is obvious that Russia does not think about peace. Another terrorist attack on Mykolaiv, the destruction of a residential building by a Russian rocket is a clear proof of what really worries Russia: not how to reach peace, but how to inflict the most painful damage… Not how to start real negotiations, but how to hit something with a missile or drone in Ukraine so that Ukrainians suffer…
Well, Ukraine and the world have the power to punish the terrorists for everything they have done and restore peace. Peace on our terms.
Our fundraising platform, United24, has launched a fundraising campaign for a fleet of naval drones. I announced that. So, now everyone – and not only in Ukraine, but also in other countries – can join the formation of the world’s first naval drone fleet – something that can provide security to our marine area.
The first naval drone, for which funds were raised in less than an hour, was named “Kherson”. Quite logical. We will call the second naval drone “Sevastopol”. I believe that all this is bringing the time of the liberation of our Crimea closer.
I had a meeting with the Lithuanian delegation led by the Speaker of the Seimas of Lithuania. It is symbolic that her name is Viktorija. And it is on such a day that she is with us. I thanked our Lithuanian friends for their help, for the defense support that we have been receiving since the beginning of the Russian invasion. We discussed a wide range of topics: further cooperation in defense, our reconstruction, European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine.
And one more thing.
Today, another 45 Ukrainian defenders were released from Russian captivity, all of them are warriors of the Armed Forces, soldiers and sergeants.
We remember all our heroes who are still in captivity. We will return each and every one. Our team – Budanov, Yermak, Usov, Maliuk, Lubinets and others – works every day to free all our people from Russian captivity.
I sincerely thank everyone who cares about Ukraine!
Glory to everyone who fights for freedom!
Eternal memory to all those whose lives were taken by the occupiers.
Glory to Ukraine!
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) November 11, 2022
This is what a true liberation military force looks like pic.twitter.com/z0wzObfKWP
— Illia Ponomarenko 🇺🇦 (@IAPonomarenko) November 11, 2022
Ours! ✊🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/oKsbRbPPR1
— Defense of Ukraine (@DefenceU) November 11, 2022
"Ukrposhta" is preparing to issue a stamp in honor of the liberation of #Kherson from the invaders. pic.twitter.com/G5OKs6YGqD
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) November 11, 2022
Shock, Ukrainian soldiers were completely surrounded in the center of Kherson 😹🫶 pic.twitter.com/5QCiMpOuhd
— Special Kherson Cat 🐈🇺🇦 (@bayraktar_1love) November 11, 2022
Слава Україні!
Героям слава! pic.twitter.com/aHM1CmVFiT— Їne Back Їversen (@IneBackIversen) November 11, 2022
Cars driving through Kherson right now with the Ukrainian flag! Honk if you live in Ukraine 🇺🇦🥰 pic.twitter.com/3Bp2m4YKkT
— Їne Back Їversen (@IneBackIversen) November 11, 2022
And please turn the volume ALL THE WAY UP! Let the whole world hear the anthem of the brave and the sound of resistance, resilience, unity and independence!! 📢🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/nkCIBKsMj0
— Їne Back Їversen (@IneBackIversen) November 11, 2022
In other amazing news — Ukraine returned 45 soldiers from russian captivity! pic.twitter.com/0DBGsOmrKx
— Saint Javelin (@saintjavelin) November 11, 2022
That’s enough for tonight.
Your daily Patron!
Such a long-awaited rebus🥰 Kherson, welcome back. @DefenceU , @CinC_AFU , and all the Armed forces of Ukraine, you are 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Yq7woHvXdL
— Patron (@PatronDsns) November 11, 2022
And a new video from Patron’s official TikTok:
@patron__dsns
I think the caption is pretty self explanatory.
And because it is the 11th day of the 11th month, we end with this:
Open thread!
Adam L Silverman
Just a quick note: I will address the complete mess that I and several others made together in the comments last night in tomorrow night’s update. Given the liberation of Kherson and that it happened today of all days, I figured it could wait.
Omnes Omnibus
Maybe this time will be enough.
Baud
Looks like they were greeted as liberators.
Alison Rose
God, I’m in tears again watching all of those videos. It’s just amazing. I know there is still a lot of fight ahead, but this is a stunning moment, one I’m proud to witness.
Remember when Zelenskyy said months and months ago “Being the leader of the world means to be the leader of peace”? I feel like that’s Ukraine. All of them.
Your introduction was beautiful, Adam. Thank you as always, and I’m glad that at least today, you got to put together something so uplifting.
Alison Rose
Also, when I clicked to this post, the first rotating tag that showed up was “Optimism opens the door to great things”, which felt very fitting.
MagdaInBlack
@Alison Rose: I am also a weepy mess.
oldster
Every Ukrainian victory builds the case for giving them more arms.
Every Russian retreat deflates the myth of their invincibility.
Every threat that the Kremlin makes and then cannot deliver on, reveals their empty bluster for what it is.
No one in Washington, London, Paris, or Berlin should ever again say, “but we don’t want to escalate!,” or “but we have to leave him an exit ramp!”
That’s all nonsense. The Ukrainian army is showing that it is nonsense.
Give them the arms. All the arms. And they will chase the Russians back to their borders, and drive them out of Ukraine.
This is the road to lasting, secure, and stable peace in Europe. And it will help the cause of peace in Asia, too.
Alison Rose
@oldster: I second that emotion.
Gin & Tonic
The videos are moving, but the cost has been terrible.
Alison Rose
@Gin & Tonic: This is true. And God, do I hope putin and everyone around him is one day made to pay for it.
Andrya
Thank G-d for the liberation of Kherson. May it be the first of many.
I also wept while watching today’s update: both at the liberation of Kherson and and the Willie McBride video. As an older child/teen I had the privilege of hearing the WW1 recollections of two vets- my maternal grandfather, who served in the British army, and a neighborhood grocer, who served in the (Tsarist) Russian army. Both expressed exactly the same thing- that the young men of Europe had been fed into a meat grinder for no reason, and that, as a result, both had lost faith in all traditional institutions, including government and church. At least 3 of my grandfather’s 4 brothers died in WW1 (he never knew what happened to the other one). Likewise, my all time favorite author, JRR Tolkien, was part of a high school group of four teenage boys- only two survived WW1. To start an unnecessary war is a profound evil
I will add this, that the Lochnagar crater, from the battle of the Somme, is one of two manmade structures (along with the Great Wall of China) that is visible from space. (There may be others, but I’m not aware of them.)
twbrandt (formerly tom)
Watching the videos from Ukraine, and the Dropkick Murphys, and am a complete wreck.
Ksmiami
@oldster: this a million times. A maximalist approach to helping the UA fight off the Russians in Ukraine and help w future rebuilding is the only way forward to peace.
Geoduck
@Andrya: I don’t debate your basic sentiment, but sigh, no, the Great Wall of China and the Lochnagar Crater are not “visible from space”.
CarolPW
Something that had puzzled me as a kid was why my dad and two uncles (navy, Pacific), another uncle (air force, all over) and FIL (medic, hospital ship, Jewish) refused to buy anything German or Japanese for their entire lives rather than letting it go. I fully understand it now.
Thanks Adam.
OverTwistWillie
@Gin & Tonic:
What struck me was the absence of men in those towns.
Dan B
Wonderful post tonight Adam! The large number of videos is wonderful. And your begin ING statement is emotional – so moving and calm.
OverTwistWillie
Welcome to the party pal!
Andrya
@Geoduck: Link. Link.
Chetan Murthy
@OverTwistWillie: The thing that always breaks my heart is the tears of the grandmas. Esp. the really old ones, from whom the years have taken so much. Their last years should not be like this.
Gin & Tonic
In case anyone is wondering about the postage stamps, the Kherson region is renowned throughout Ukraine for its watermelons. Summertime in Kyiv, if you’re going to visit someone, bringing a gift of a Kherson watermelon shows you really care.
Alison Rose
@Gin & Tonic: I remember a few weeks ago seeing a clip of a Ukrainian soldier being interviewed and asked about the push for Kherson, and he just picked up a piece of watermelon and took a big bite. It was pitch perfect.
I’ve never liked watermelon much but now I kinda want some.
Adam L Silverman
@Omnes Omnibus: From your mouth…
Adam L Silverman
Thank you all for the kind words. Everyone is most welcome.
I’m going to go get the grime off and then start winding down for the night.
Dan B
@Gin & Tonic: One of the few nice memories of Arkansas were the Watermelons. I’ve managed to grow a few dwarf Watermelons here in Seattle that reminded me of those glories. The peaches were great as well.
OverTwistWillie
Watermelon?
Gallagher died today.
Bill Arnold
@Gin & Tonic:
For those interested in (leading edge!) watermelon science:
A chromosome-level genome of a Kordofan melon illuminates the origin of domesticated watermelons (May 21, 2021)
oldster
Just to note one aspect of the brilliance of the Ukrainian high command:
There was no battle of Kherson.
There was a campaign of pressure, of isolation, of attrition. There was chipping away, probing and squeezing.
But there was no frontal assault with waves of tanks and men going up against fortifications.
There was no block-by-block reduction of the city through urban warfare.
There was no bombardment of the downtown, no sustained shelling of the fabric of the city.
The Ukrainians won this battle in the most wonderful, skillful, and miraculous way: they made their enemies evaporate like dew in the morning sun, with as little loss of their own men as possible, with as little destruction to their own beloved city as possible.
The russians could never have done this. They only know Aleppo rules, brute destruction, mass bombardment, and pointless savagery, as murderous for their own soldiers as for the enemy.
The Ukrainians are showing what Sun Tzu meant: The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.
Dan B
@OverTwistWillie: An obit that makes me think good thoughts. He died, good. He was a horrible homophobe.
OverTwistWillie
@Chetan Murthy:
The Ukrainian soldiers are so much larger than the Soviet generations.
The bounty of that nation was being sold off for pennies on the ruble.
Frankensteinbeck
@oldster:
Yes. That has been the consistent Ukrainian strategy. Degrade Russian logistics, bombard concentrated troops, turn Russian attempts to advance into a meat grinder. Attrition, attrition, attrition, then sweep up the pieces when the Russian military is completely broken. It’s a strategy that focuses exactly on Russia’s weaknesses, and damn is it working.
Carlo Graziani
It’s a good day, and a good capstone to the first year of the war. The Ukrainians mourn appalling losses, but have inflicted near-killing strokes on what appeared, last March, to be an invincible Russian force set on an unstoppable onslaught. What they have accomplished defies belief, and would not have been thought possible even as recently as last June.
They really did it. What a nation of heroes.
No idea what happens next, but I can’t see time doing Russia any favors.
MobiusKlein
Would that Russia recall the lessons of Armistice Day – that the sound of the battle ceasing is the voice of God. And take their leave back to their homes alive.
Carlo Graziani
Good update, Adam.
Gin & Tonic
An important perspective on the reactions you are seeing from Ukrainian civilians:
StringOnAStick
@OverTwistWillie: I also noticed the lack of young women in the rural videos. I hope they all ran to the cities to hide and were successful in hiding.
Chetan Murthy
@oldster: I agree with you on the UA AF care for civilians and their cities. But they’ve still paid a terrible price in many other areas, like the line in the Donbass, around Bakhmut, near Donetsk, as they held the line against Russian attack-after-attack, chewing up and bit-by-bit destroying Russia’s forces, so *that* when the time came, there’d be no reinforcements for Kherson (and Kupiansk). And they did that in Kherson Oblast too, for months: holding the line against RU, slowly chewing up Russia’s best men and equipment. All at a horrible cost.
Eric S.
@Dan B: Damn. I have fond memories of Gallagher from my childhood. I didn’t know of his bigotry.
Jay
@Adam L Silverman:
last night, IMHO, wasn’t “bad” and as far as I am concerned, some people should apologize, given all you do and have done,
thank you again Adam.
Gary K
This is such an important point:
Timothy Snyder is especially eloquent about this. Go look for his essays if you haven’t yet read one. Opposition in the US to supporting the Ukrainians is extremely short-sighted.
West of the Rockies
@Dan B:
I recall that he was mildly amusing…
In 1981.
Tony G
This sounds pretty important! I can’t find the quotes now, but a couple of months ago when the successful counter-offensive agains Kharkiv was ending, I read one of the pro-Putin “leftists” (Patrick Lawrence, I think it was) saying that none of that mattered because the Russian Army had wisely reinforced the defenses of Kherson. I just looked up “Patrick Lawrence” and “Kherson”. Oddly enough, he doesn’t have anything to say right now. Maybe he’s awaiting instructions from Moscow.
Dan B
@Gin & Tonic: I remember reading how, even during the soviet era, the Russian people were engaging and fun to be with. I wonder if Putin has helped turn a generation of young men into a group that only knows only dominance and submission, dog eat dog, and sadism. Or is it the brutality of military training? Are the commanders ordering the cruelty and lawlessness?
Dan B
@Eric S.: I thought he was funny myself. People are complex.
Jay
Alison Rose
@Gin & Tonic: Yeah. More proof that putin’s line about them being like brothers is bullshit. Or calling Kyiv the mother of russian cities. I sure don’t treat my mother like that.
NutmegAgain
So much! so much. Slightly OT, I often post that version of Green Fields of France on Veteran’s Day, but today I went with a photo of my dad at Chakulia AFB in India, which was his longest and favorite posting in WWII. He was Army Air Corp. Anyway, thank you much Adam, for the Dropkick Murphys; their rendition is always a kick in the gut, and a reminder of the costs of war to the young.
Jay
caphilldcne
Well I was fine til I listened to Green Fields of Flanders. When I joined the Air Force I thought the idea of the US actually needing to fight a war was ridiculous. Then we had the Gulf War. Which I thought was a one off. I got out in 92. Then 9/11 and 20 years of continuous engagement. I’m glad we left Afghanistan. I wish success to the brave people of Ukraine and to their soldiers.
Tony G
@Dan B: During the last years of the Soviet era (the 1980’s) I worked with and socialized with a number of young Russian (and Ukrainian) men and women who had emigrated to the U.S. Smart people who were a lot of fun — and certainly no hint of animosity between the Russians and Ukrainians. Of course, those were the ones who had left.
Eric S.
@Dan B: so true. A lot of people more eloquent than me have opined on how to weigh a public person’s negatives versus their positives. I have nothing to add other than such debates hold some fascination for me.
Lyrebird
Yes.
I can’t truly get my head around the amount of grief that is carried by the people in the videos. I am glad they show the joyful welcomes! But how many of those defenders just lost brothers or sisters in arms right in front of them. How many of the villagers have been holding on through horrors.
Carlo Graziani
On reflection, there is one strategic window of opportunity for the UA now, hinging on their interior lines of communication and good rail network. They can keep the initiative by moving a lot of troops from the Kherson theatre to Luhansk oblast before the Russians can get there, and making a big thrust at Starobilsk. The strategic objective would be that final rail line from Belgorod. If they get there, all the supplies in Belgorod have nowhere to go, and most of the Russian offensive capability in the Donbas goes slack.
kalakal
I wept as I saw the liberation videos and I wept at the Willie McBride video.
As it’s Nov 11th I also watched a video of the Menin Gate Last Post ceremony at Ypres.
I attended it once many years ago as part of a trip to pay respects to 2 grand uncles who died at Passchendaele and it still makes me cry, it’s the most heartbreaking thing I’ve ever seen
War is such a terrible waste. May Putin burn in hell. I truly hate him for the horrors he has inflicted on the people of Ukraine.
OB-1
@oldster: To add to your thoughts: the Ukrainian Armed Forces seem to have learned the concept of “shaping the battlefield” to their advantage. I wonder which part of the battlefront will be “shaped” next :-)
way2blue
@Alison Rose: Russia can pay to rebuild Ukraine and the war criminals can be held to account in the international court. But no one can put back together the lives that have been lost or the lost innocence of the children. Sigh.
way2blue
@OverTwistWillie:
Yes. And mostly older women. I am bracing for the discovery of more torture sites and more mass graves.
Anoniminous
They grow some bad ass watermelons in Kherson.
Sebastian
@Alison Rose:
I had a spiritual experience this morning and these are the moments we live for.
Parfigliano
@Gin & Tonic: The russians only know looting and brutality. Their society and economy are based on it. Its called Putinism.
Sebastian
@oldster:
The path to a safe world is Ukraine armed to the teeth, keeping Russia in check.
Redshift
@oldster: There wasn’t even a siege! That’s how brilliant they were! They cut off the supply routes, but they didn’t have to completely encircle the city, which would have been more risk for Ukrainian forces and probably more hardship for the civilians. Just masterful.
Redshift
@oldster:
Putin has had an exit ramp from the beginning – take his forces and go home. He doesn’t get to “save face” or “avoid humiliation” because he has humiliated himself, no one else did this to him.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
Damn, I just saw the updated maps, the Russian army had a complete collapse of their entire position. I do seriously hope this is a sign this miserable and pointless war is coming to a close.
Ruckus
@Omnes Omnibus:
“Maybe this time will be enough.”
You have no idea how much I hope that’s true.
I was in a Navy hospital for 2 months in 1973. The Marines being part of the navy, most of people in the hospital were Marines. I saw damage that is indescribable. Unbearable damage. I also saw a spirit that is also undeniable and amazing. I use the VA for my healthcare. I still see people with those injuries 50 yrs later. Those people are luckier than the 58,220 men and women whose names are on that wall. Humans have been doing war, most often for all the wrong reasons, greed, hate, power. Millions of humans have died in warfare for those reasons. I have little hope that will change any time soon, but I hope some day maybe, just maybe that might happen. So many humans live with those memories of war. Far too many humans lost that battle to be able to remember. And it’s still going on today, as I type this.
LiminalOwl
Adam, thank you for the post. But could someone kindly provide a translation of the caption, so that it’s (even more) self-explanatory?
Also, I adore the song, but yr hbl srvnt the editor must note that Eric Bogle, who wrote it, says the title is “No Man’s Land” (not “Green Fields of France,” which IMO misses the point. Bogle also wrote “And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda,” which is likewise relevant today… well, maybe not when we’re cheering for Ukraine, but certainly for Veterans’ Day.
@oldster: Thank you for increasing my understanding of the victory. That’s amazing.
@Frankensteinbeck: also
Ruckus
@Gin & Tonic:
They were/are not there to win hearts and minds. They don’t give a shit about hearts and minds, at least not the leadership. They are there to win their pride back, a pride they never actually had in the first place, because if they had any pride they wouldn’t have been there. One man is in charge of this, a man who has given up all hope of pride because he’s never, ever learned how to EARN pride, he only knows how to steal power in place of pride. Or at least he thought he did. He can’t even do that anymore. All he’s capable of is death and destruction. And he’s so shitty at being the leader of a country he can’t even to that in the manner he wants.
trucmat
Artist Banksy has created a series of murals on bomb damaged buildings in Borodianka near Kiev.
https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2022/nov/12/banksy-artwork-appears-on-damaged-building-in-ukraine
Tony G
@Carlo Graziani: It’s interesting that shortly after Putin announced a couple of months ago his “very legal annexation” of the eastern regions, the Russian Army started to be forced out of those regions. That must be some master strategy on Putin’s part!
way2blue
I’ve been remiss in not saluting my father who drove an amphibious landing craft in the North Pacific during WWII. He who would carry spiders outside in a folded newspaper (rather than squash them) because they were helpers. And the guys from my high school whose names are etched in the wall. And finally, Uncle Joe, who witnessed one of the atomic bomb tests in the South Pacific and after he retired (as a Rear Admiral) gave talks about the perils of nuclear proliferation. Thank you for your service.