On Wednesday, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered Russian forces to withdraw from the city of Kherson and take up defensive positions on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River.
“Having comprehensively assessed the current situation, it is proposed to take up defence along the left (eastern) bank of the Dnipro River.”
– Sergei Surovikin, Russian Armed Forces Army General
In a televised broadcast, General Sergei Surovikin reported to Shoigu that it was no longer possible to keep the city of Kherson supplied.
Shoigu approved Surovikins’ plan of an orderly withdrawal across the Dnipro River, saying “the life and health of Russian servicemen is always a priority”.
Kyiv reportedly remains cautious of this turn of events and saw “no sign” of Russian forces withdrawing from Kherson at this stage.
Kherson is the regional capital of the region of the same name, one of four Ukrainian regions that President Vladimir Putin incorporated into Russia in September.
