Russia orders troops out of Kherson in major reversal
Russia ordered its troops to withdraw from the city of Kherson in southern Ukraine on Wednesday in a further major blow to its campaign amid a Ukrainian counter-offensive. "Begin to pull out troops," Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a televised meeting with Russia's commander in Ukraine, Sergei Surovikin. The commander had proposed the "difficult decision" of pulling back from the city and setting up defences on the eastern bank of the Dnipro River. Kherson city was the first urban hub captured by Russia during its "special military operation" and the only regional capital controlled by Moscow's forces since the offensive began on February 24. Ukraine's troops have for weeks been capturing villages en route to the city near the Black Sea and Kremlin-installed leaders in Kherson have been pulling out civilians. But Ukraine responded with scepticism to the Russian announcement. Ukrainian presidential adviser Mykhaylo Podolyak said some Russian troops remained in the city. "We see no signs that Russia is leaving Kherson without a fight," he said on Twitter. "Ukraine is liberating territories based on intelligence data, not staged TV statements." Kremlin supporters meanwhile rushed to justify the decision. The head of Russian state media group RT, Margarita Simonyan, said the retreat was necessary in order not to leave Russian troops exposed on the west bank of the Dnipro River and "open the way to Crimea". Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov said the decision was "difficult but fair". Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin, who is the founder of the Wagner mercenary group and has been critical of Russia's military strategy in the campaign, was more ambiguous. "It is important not to agonise, not to beat around in paranoia, but to draw conclusions and work on mistakes," his press service wrote on social media. Russia losing the Kherson region would return Ukraine important access to the Sea of Azov and leave President Vladimir Putin with little to show from a campaign that has turned him into a pariah in the eyes of the West. (AFP)