Russian troops have decided to withdraw from Kherson, the occupied territory of southern Ukraine.
Sergei Surovikin, commander-in-chief of the joint forces of the Ukrainian “Special Military Operations” of the Russian army, appeared on Russian state TV on the 9th and said: “We can no longer supply the city of Kherson, hence the lives of 115,000 ( soldiers) are at risk. He said: “Withdrawal is inevitable.”
Shortly after these remarks, the Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting of the main commanders of the entire army: “I agree with the conclusion made by the commander on the ground” and ordered to “withdraw the army and move “.
“We must take all measures to ensure that troops and weapons can safely cross the Dnipro River,” added Shoigu.
■ Biden “Real Problems with the Russian Army”
On the 9th, US President Joe Biden declared that the decision to withdraw Russian troops from Kherson was “proof that the Russian army has real problems”.
Reuters described the incident as “a major setback for Russia and a potential turning point in the war.”
The Associated Press stressed that “the only capital occupied by Russian troops during the eight-month war was Kherson” and explained that “the withdrawal would have been a major setback”.
The city of Kherson is the capital of the Kherson province and a key point connecting the Krm peninsula (Crimea) in southern Ukraine.
It is also among the four main occupied territories annexed last month along with members of the provinces of Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporiza.
The Ukrainian army recently launched a large-scale offensive to retake Kherson and made several successive attempts.
Pushed by defense, Russia has several times transferred local residents to the Russian mainland.
■ Ukrainian prudence
The Ukrainian authorities asserted on the 9th that the announcement of the withdrawal of Russian troops had not yet been fully reliable.
“There are no signs that Russia is leaving Kherson without a fight,” Mikhail Podolyak, aide to the Ukrainian presidential office, wrote on Twitter.
He also stressed that “actions speak louder than words” and that actual movement must be observed.
He also told Reuters that “it is too early to say that some of the Russian troops are stationed in the province of Kherson (apart from the city of Kherson) and have withdrawn.”
That day, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video speech: “We are moving very carefully to minimize losses by freeing all our lands, without emotion, without unnecessary risk.”
He also stressed: “The enemy does not give us gifts or gestures in good faith.” “(Victory) is something we all win.”
■ NATO “The war is not over”
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) points out that the withdrawal of Russian troops is a result of the alliance, but is not yet vigilant.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in an interview with CNN on the 9th that “Russian forces have suffered heavy losses not only in terms of troops, but also in terms of equipment and ammunition”. It was a possible result. “
“Russia still has a lot of military power,” he said.
“The war is not over and the brutality of the Russian army should not be underestimated,” he added.
This is Jongsu Oh from VOA News.
