Breaking- Russia abandons Ukrainian city of Kherson in major retreat

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday ordered his troops to withdraw from the occupied Ukrainian city of Kherson and take up defensive lines on the opposite bank of the River Dnipro. The announcement marked one of Russia's most significant retreats and a potential turning point in the war, now nearing the end of its ninth month. In televised comments, General Sergei Surovikin, in overall command of the war, said it was no longer possible to keep Kherson city supplied.

www.reuters.com...

I guess the big battle was just a little much. Putin gonna be mad. This had been marked as a potential turning point in the war, and well, it just turned. Now Ukraine is staring Crimea in the face, and that won't be an easy task to retake. The critical Russian port of Sevastopol is there, and one would expect Putin to go to extremes to defend it.

Also, this is all over Twitter as well. So what does Ukraine do now? Reinforce, solidify and wait until spring to take Crimea back? Or turn forces northeastwards to assist in liberating the rest of occupied territories?

Many have suspected that the Russian withdraw is a trap, and there will be a nasty surprise coming once Ukraine enters and takes over Kherson. Gonna get real, real soon. I just can't see Russia giving up Crimea ever again, because to do so means he can kiss Sevastopol goodbye. No way Ukraine is going to continue that lease unless things settle down into a ceasefire and negotiations.

But perhaps even worse for Russia is now Crimea will be in range for artillery, and direct attacks, assuming Ukraine ousts them from the right side of the Dnipro river, where it appears they have retreated to and fortified.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

Good riddance to bad rubbish.

Ukraine needs to be careful not to get drawn into a trap of sorts.

And also not to overextend themselves.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

Every story like this has been said to be a turning point. Even though the same people saying Ukraine is winning. Which is it? The most corrupt everything it seems.....which it is by all fascits.

a reply to: randomthoughts12

Not a turning point. One event in a lengthy war. The 'turning points' won't be known until the fighting has ceased for a few years.

Cheers

a reply to: TrueAmerican


so when is the flood coming, didn't both sides say the other is going to blow up a damn near Kherson?

a reply to: TrueAmerican

They've been claiming this and showing fake videos about how they are retreating for a month now.

Russia just got the hydro working in Kherson the other day, supposedly while they are retreating...

Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the pro-Kremlin administration of the partially occupied Kherson region, said Monday that “power and connectivity is being partially restored" the main city. The alleged attack occurred on the Berislav-Kakhovka power line, and Russian state media reported that the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station had also been damaged by Ukrainian strikes.
Yahoo News

We'll see what happens as MSM and our Governments develop the "narrative", I guess.

a reply to: randomthoughts12
Call me a Russia sympathizer or whatever, I don't care, but I think that this is because Russia has already taken over all the parts of Ukraine they were really interested in. They have all the majority-Russians parts now, and they have a land bridge to Crimea. That's a successful war right there.

I don't believe that taking over all of Ukraine was really ever part of the plan, regardless of what anybody might have said. Certainly by now we've all realized that at least 95% of anything any official ever said about this was just propaganda?

Separately we're hearing reports that the US is pushing Zelensky to negotiate peace. I think that this has already been going on secretly. We're just being told about it now.

By the grace of God, Kherson will be liberated

a reply to: AndyFromMichigan

Call me a Russia sympathizer or whatever, I don't care, but I think that this is because Russia has already taken over all the parts of Ukraine they were really interested in.

Kherson was a city they were really interested in which is why the took it early on , it's also in one of the regions Russia recently said it had "annexed" even though they have no control over any of those regions because they've been pushed back by Ukraine.

originally posted by: Cutepants
By the grace of God, Kherson will be liberated

But will it survive the war as an inhabited locality?

Cheers

originally posted by: Cutepants
By the grace of God, Kherson will be liberated

So I guess it was by the grace of God that Ukraine was invaded, too. Well they do say that the Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away. I just wish He'd make up His mind.

originally posted by: MykeNukem
a reply to: TrueAmerican

They've been claiming this and showing fake videos about how they are retreating for a month now.

Russia just got the hydro working in Kherson the other day, supposedly while they are retreating...

Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the pro-Kremlin administration of the partially occupied Kherson region, said Monday that “power and connectivity is being partially restored" the main city. The alleged attack occurred on the Berislav-Kakhovka power line, and Russian state media reported that the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station had also been damaged by Ukrainian strikes.
Yahoo News

We'll see what happens as MSM and our Governments develop the "narrative", I guess.

The announcement was on Russian state tv.

a reply to: F2d5thCavv2

Well good point, I wonder how many people are left. Some of them went to western Ukraine, Poland and other EU countries at the start of the war. And now Russia has been telling people to leave. Not even a bad idea of course, depending on what happens next. But I can't imagine all of them will be gone.

a reply to: TrueAmerican

He works in mysterious ways!

originally posted by: MykeNukem
a reply to: TrueAmerican

They've been claiming this and showing fake videos about how they are retreating for a month now.

Russia just got the hydro working in Kherson the other day, supposedly while they are retreating...

Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the pro-Kremlin administration of the partially occupied Kherson region, said Monday that “power and connectivity is being partially restored" the main city. The alleged attack occurred on the Berislav-Kakhovka power line, and Russian state media reported that the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station had also been damaged by Ukrainian strikes.
Yahoo News

We'll see what happens as MSM and our Governments develop the "narrative", I guess.

I have no idea if russia is honestly withdrawing, but every russian source I've been following on tgram for 8 months is currently 'convinced' this is true and have been in absolute panic mode for at least 8 hours now.

In other news, putin released a statement soon after whatever this is got started saying he is now willing to 'negotiate' without any of the 'preconditions' he had still been demanding just a few hours earlier.

I think he's lying in a lame stalling effort, but if/when it's actually true we might actually see some 'negotiations'.


TA:

originally posted by: ScepticScot

originally posted by: MykeNukem
a reply to: TrueAmerican

They've been claiming this and showing fake videos about how they are retreating for a month now.

Russia just got the hydro working in Kherson the other day, supposedly while they are retreating...

Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the pro-Kremlin administration of the partially occupied Kherson region, said Monday that “power and connectivity is being partially restored" the main city. The alleged attack occurred on the Berislav-Kakhovka power line, and Russian state media reported that the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station had also been damaged by Ukrainian strikes.
Yahoo News

We'll see what happens as MSM and our Governments develop the "narrative", I guess.

The announcement was on Russian state tv.

Maybe it's true this time.

That doesn't change the fact that MSM has been misinforming us about what's happening.

Sounds like a little common sense and logic (for once) from the Russian military........................

Russian troops are withdrawing from the city of Kherson and surrounding areas in the south of Ukraine.

Russia's top commander in Ukraine, General Sergei Surovikin said it is no longer possible to supply the city and other parts of the west bank of the Dnipro River that it lies on.

In televised comments, he said: "We will save the lives of our soldiers and fighting capacity of our units.

"Keeping them on the right (western) bank is futile.

"Some of them can be used on other fronts."


Russia's defence minister Sergei Shoigu responded by saying: "I agree with your conclusions and proposals.

"Proceed with the withdrawal of troops and take all measures to transfer forces across the river."

news.sky.com...

a reply to: MykeNukem

OK. Reality doesn't change the fact that you are right and the MSM is wrong. Ignorance is strength etc.

Well I can't wait to see the Russian media have a radiated baby over just losing a supposedly "annexed" territory. The humiliation is strong with this one. Further cuts into Putin pride, and will no doubt sow even more discontent among the blustermouth civilian killers that want to eat Ukrainian babies. Ouch, that gotta hurt.

originally posted by: Cutepants
a reply to: MykeNukem

OK. Reality doesn't change the fact that you are right and the MSM is wrong. Ignorance is strength etc.

Where did I say I was right?

MSM doesn't reflect reality, really hate to break that to you.