Ukraine: Kherson residents flee to Crimea (Reuters)
The Russian Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu, today (Wednesday) ordered his forces to withdraw from the city of Kherson, and to position themselves on the opposite bank of the Dnieper River, adjacent to the city.
This is one of the most significant withdrawals by Russia since the beginning of the war, which may also symbolize a possible turning point in the fighting between the parties.
The commander of the Russian forces in the war in Ukraine, General Sergei Sorobikin, told Russian television today that "after a comprehensive assessment of the current situation, it was decided to take a defensive position along the left (eastern) bank of the Dnieper River."
"I understand that this is a very difficult decision, but at the same time we will preserve the most important thing - the lives of our servants, the effectiveness of our soldiers. Right now there is no point in guarding the right bank of the river when we have a limited area at our disposal."
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Russian President Vladimir Putin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu (Photo: Reuters)
Following the announcement by the Russian commanders, many Russian "war bloggers" responded, describing the decision as a "hard blow to Russia".
"We'll probably leave town, it hurts to write about it now," wrote the War Gonzo blog, which has more than 1.3 million Telegram subscribers.
"In simple words, it is impossible to hold Kherson with bare hands. It is a black page in the history of the Russian army. Of the Russian state. A tragic page."
The announcement was joined by another bitter row for the Russian side, when the Deputy Head of the Military-Civil Administration in Kherson, Kirill Stramosov, was killed today in a car accident.
Stramosov was one of the most prominent officials in the attempted Russian occupation.
A few hours before his death Stramosov stated that "the Russian army has full control over the situation in the south"
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Residents of Kherson were evacuated from the city last month (Photo: Reuters)
Kherson is the tender city of a district of the same name - which is one of four Ukrainian districts, which Russian President Vladimir Putin announced in September, that he annexes to Russia "forever".
The news about the withdrawal from the area comes after the Ukrainian forces advanced towards the city in recent weeks, and Russia worked to move more than 100,000 residents to the other side of the river.
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