On Monday, pro-Russian authorities announced an end to the organized evacuation of civilians from Kherson, and warned that those wishing to leave this part of southern Ukraine should do so by their own means. Moscow before the advance of Ukrainian troops.
On Tuesday, pro-Russian officials in Kherson acknowledged the numerical superiority of Ukrainian forces in the region, but vowed that they would be able to repel any attack.
Today, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced the withdrawal of Russian armed forces from Kherson, a Ukrainian city of the same name that was illegally annexed by Moscow in September. According to the TASS agency, the minister was informed on Wednesday by military commanders that it was impossible to deliver supplies to the city of Kherson and other areas on the west bank of the Dnieper, and Shoigu agreed to a proposal to withdraw troops. to the east coast.
Why is this three-day timeline important? The city of Kherson was the only regional capital occupied by Russian forces in the more than eight-month war in Ukraine that began with Russia’s invasion of Ukrainian territory on February 24, and is one of four regions of the Ukrainian territories. Donetsk, which accounts for 18 percent of Ukraine’s territory, was annexed by Russia on September 30 along with Luhansk and Zaporizhia.
In other words, if this withdrawal is confirmed, it will mean the loss of the regional capital of Kherson, located on the right bank of the river.
However, before this can be considered a victory for Ukraine in this war of degradation, the Russian announcement must be confirmed.
For now, the Ukrainian government said today that it sees “no sign” of a voluntary withdrawal of Russian troops from the southern city of Kherson.
“We see no sign that Russia is going to leave Gerson without a fight. [militares] “The Russians are still in the city and occupiers are being sent to the region,” Mykhailo Podoliak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, commented on what he considered “staged statements” from Moscow.
Mykhailo Podoliak added that “actions speak louder than words” in a message posted on the social networking site Twitter, adding that “Ukraine is liberating territories based on intelligence data.” [serviços secretos]Not in reports on TV”.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg today considered the Ukrainian military’s “encouraging” way to “liberate more territory,” but he was also wary of the withdrawal of Kherson.
“We have seen the announcement, but of course we will wait and see what happens on the ground,” he said in London after the UK prime minister.
If this is Russia’s goodbye to illegally annexed territory, it cannot be said to be ignorant of how difficult it is to maintain that territory. After all, Ramzan Kadyrov, the head of the Chechen army, said from the beginning: “Everyone knows from the first days of special operations that Kherson is a difficult combat zone.”
“Soldiers in my units reported that it is very difficult to fight in this area,” Kadyrov announced, warning that the front in Kherson “can be maintained with sufficient ammunition” but that it would cost “innumerable human lives.” .
“That forecast does not apply to us. Therefore, without fear of criticism, I believe that Churovikhin acted as a true military general,” Chechen concluded, thanking Russian military officials for the decision to withdraw.
The next few days will expose Gerson’s reality.
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