Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on Wednesday that Russian troops would retreat from the strategic city of Kherson in Ukraine’s south, which would signal another embarrassing blow for the Kremlin’s war effort.
In a televised address, Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the commander of Russian troops in Ukraine, said Moscow was unable to supply the tens of thousands of soldiers in the city, forcing them to retreat and cross to the east bank of the Dnipier River, ceding a strategic western gateway.
“We will save the lives of our soldiers and fighting capacity of our units. Keeping them on the right (western) bank is futile. Some of them can be used on other fronts,” Surovikin said, according to Reuters.
However, Kyiv expressed skepticism on Wednesday, with an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky saying some Russian units remained in the city.
“Actions speak louder than words,” said Zelensky advisor Mykhailo Podolyak. “We see no signs that Russia is leaving Kherson without a fight. A part of the ru-group is preserved in the city, and additional reserves are charged to the region. [Ukraine] is liberating territories based on intelligence data, not staged TV statements.”
Russia had shown signs of surrender in recent days, with a Russian flag coming down from the main administrative building in the region. However, Ukrainian officials and war experts suspected Russia was setting a trap.
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#BREAKING: Russia announces retreat from Kherson as Ukraine alleges sabotage https://t.co/jij09AB52P pic.twitter.com/7mPITfCU7u
— The Hill (@thehill) November 9, 2022
The Kherson memes are just getting going… pic.twitter.com/2ylrYBxruC
— Business Ukraine mag (@Biz_Ukraine_Mag) November 9, 2022
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