Prokudin says part of Kherson region could be liberated by military force in 2027

The possibility of Ukrainian forces liberating part of the left bank of Kherson region next year is being considered by Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration. His forecast was sharply criticized by regional council member and former MP Serhii Khlan, who pointed to the battles for Krynky.

The regional governor shared his assessment on the “Damn Questions” podcast by Ukrainska Pravda. He said there are now signs that such a development could be possible for the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

“I believe that next year there will be an opportunity to cross to the left bank and win back the territory of Kherson region by military means, after all, rather than through diplomacy,” said Oleksandr Prokudin.

In response, Serhii Khlan ironically remarked on the prospect of drinking coffee on a beach in Henichesk as soon as next summer. Criticizing the statement, he urged its author to consider the experience of the fighting for Krynky.

“Next summer, ‘coffee on a beach in Henichesk’? So the experience of Krynky wasn’t enough for them; it taught them nothing. And, of course, it’s easy to keep repeating the same mistakes with other people’s lives at stake. If Oleksandr Prokudin himself had lasted one day in Krynky, he wouldn’t be saying such nonsense,” Serhii Khlan wrote.

Serhii Khlan’s political positions:

• member of the Kherson Regional Council;
• former member of the 8th convocation of Ukraine’s parliament, where he represented constituency No. 185 in Kherson region.

The politician was born in Snihurivka, Mykolaiv region, and studied and worked in Mykolaiv. In parliament, he was also a member of the “Mykolaiv Region” inter-factional association.

The editor-in-chief of the Kherson-based outlet Most, Serhii Nikitenko, recently spoke about the dire circumstances facing civilians in the region. According to him, there are settlements on both the occupied left bank and the right bank controlled by Ukraine where residents have been unable to leave or obtain food for months. On the occupied bank, the situation is difficult in most settlements along the coast.

Meanwhile, during the humanitarian pause, Russian forces restored almost all of their positions in Oleshky. The Ukrainian Defense Forces had spent a year pushing them out of these positions. Oleksandr Prokudin said that the Russians had also brought additional weapons, ammunition, and equipment for drone operators into the city.

We previously reported:

• They reclaimed positions and brought in weapons: Russian forces took advantage of the truce in Oleshky
• Hunger is driving people from their homes, while mines litter the roads: Oleshky residents escape without an evacuation
• An operation meant to change the course of the war ended in a retreat: details from Krynky
• “I saw hell, and its name is Krynky”… Hundreds of mothers search for missing Ukrainian soldiers
• Ukraine’s Armed Forces now control about 10 square kilometers on the left bank of Kherson region