Russian military leaders have ordered the withdrawal of their troops from Kherson, a crucial city amid the war, drawing skepticism from Ukrainian officials as to the real reason behind the move.
Gen. Sergei Surovikin, Russia's commander in Ukraine, said that the withdrawal order was made because it was no longer possible to keep supplying the city. The move also means that Russian forces will pull out entirely from the western bank of the River Dnipro.
Russian Withdrawal From Kherson
The withdrawal is seen as a major blow as Russia continues to face a powerful Ukrainian counter-offensive. The top brass of Moscow's military announced the decision on Russian state TV, showing Gen. Surovikin reporting on the situation while on the ground in Kherson.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was not present during the staged event and appears to have left the announcement to his generals. Furthermore, it was the Russian strongman who announced the annexation of Kherson and three other occupied regions at the end of September, as per BBC.
In the meeting of the announcement, Gen. Surovikin said that amid the circumstances, the most sensible move was to organize the defense along a barrier line along the river Dnipro. However, Ukrainian officials treated Russia's withdrawal order with caution.
On Wednesday, during his nightly address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kyiv was moving "very carefully" after Russia's withdrawal announcement. He said that the enemies they have do not give gifts or make goodwill gestures.
According to the New York Times, support for the withdrawal order was also shared by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. He said that the decision was difficult but would "preserve the lives of servicemen and combat readiness of forces."
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Ukraine is Skeptical of the Order
Shoigu added that he was giving military leaders the green light in pulling out troops and taking all measures to ensure the safe transfer of troops, weapons, and equipment from the city of Kherson.
Zelensky told his citizens and troops that while there was a lot of joy in the media after Russia's announcement, emotions must be restrained. The Ukrainian leader said that the liberation of Kherson, Kakhovka, Donetsk, and other cities will be a result of the Ukrainian military's efforts.
Ukraine previously warned that Russia might once again try to feign a retreat in the hopes that it would draw Ukraine into urban combat. The latter's military has been tracking signs of a Russian retreat through Wednesday but noted that it was not convinced that Moscow's troops intended to fully withdraw from Kherson City and the surrounding Russian bridgehead.
In a telephone interview, Ukrainian Col. Roman Kostenko said that they have observed signs of Russian troops pulling out. These were bridges that were blown up that would have allowed Ukrainian forces to advance. Moscow's soldiers were also seen leaving population centers but left some soldiers behind to cover the others' movements.
On the international stage, United States President Joe Biden said that Russia's withdrawal order was "evidence of the fact that they have some real problems with the Russian military," NPR reported.
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