Ukrainian troops were greeted by welcoming residents in Kherson after Russia’s full withdrawal from the key southern city.
The video shows locals waving the Ukrainian national flag in the streets and chanting slogans as Kyiv’s troops approach.
Some sang patriotic songs around a large campfire late into the night.
Kherson was Russia’s only regional capital after the February invasion. The retreat has been seen as the biggest blow of the war.
Moscow said 30,000 personnel had been evacuated from the area – along with about 5,000 pieces of military hardware, weapons and other assets.
The White House called it an “extraordinary victory”, while Ukrainian President Zelensky called it a “historic day”.
But Ukraine’s foreign minister said “the war continues”. Speaking on the sidelines of an Asian summit in Cambodia, Dmytro Kolyba said: “We are winning ground battles. But the war continues.”
An evening update from Ukraine on Friday said troops had advanced to the western bank of the Dnipro River.
Photos also emerged showing the main river crossing – the Antonievsky Bridge – partially collapsed. It is still unclear how the damage occurred.
Russian troops who captured Kherson are believed to be taking up new positions on the eastern side of the river.
A Kherson resident described his “overwhelming” emotions as people emerged from the streets singing and dancing.
Alexey Sandakov revealed his full name to JEE News, having previously referred to himself only as “Jimmy”. He said Khorsan “is free now. It’s a different story. Everyone is crying since this morning”.
He added that “everyone wanted to hug” the arriving Ukrainian soldiers.
The change in control of the city followed a swift Ukrainian counteroffensive in recent months, with Kyiv saying it had recaptured 41 settlements near Kherson.
In his evening address, President Zelensky said the people of Kherson were “waiting” and “never gave up on Ukraine”.
He added that residents were working to remove “any signs of occupation” from the streets, including Russian symbols.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed the move as a shameful defeat.
