Russia says withdrawing troops from strategic Kherson, but Ukraine doubts full pull-out
- Russian commander says no longer possible to supply Kherson, but wary Ukraine says talk of Russian withdrawal premature
- America’s top general estimated 100,000 ‘killed and wounded’ on each side since Russia invaded Ukraine in February
Moscow ordered troops to withdraw from near the strategic southern Ukrainian city of Kherson in a major setback as a top US general estimated Russia has suffered more than 100,000 killed or wounded since invading its neighbour in February.
Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday announced Russian forces would retreat from the west bank of the Dnipro River near Kherson in what could be a turning point in the war.
Ukraine reacted with caution to the announcement, saying some Russian forces were still in Kherson and additional Russian manpower was being sent to the region.
“They are moving out but not as much as would be taking place if it was a full pull-out or regrouping,” Oleksiy Arestovych, adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky, said in a video posted online on Wednesday night.
Russian forces were destroying bridges as they left and mining roads, Arestovych said.
“And for the moment, we don’t know their intentions – will they engage in fighting with us and will they try to hold the city of Kherson? They are moving very slowly,” he said.
