Comment Ukraine said on Friday that its troops were deploying to the southern city of Kherson and retaking control of the regional capital from Russian forces after months of fighting. “Kherson is back under Ukrainian control. Units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine are entering the city,” the intelligence directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine said in a statement. It said that Russian forces’ retreat routes were within the firing range of the Ukrainian military and that “any attempts to oppose the Armed Forces of Ukraine will be stopped.” The announcement came shortly after Russia announced on Friday that its troops had completed the withdrawal from the west bank of the Dnieper River in Kherson. Moscow claimed that no Russian soldiers or military equipment were left behind. The territory recovered from Ukraine through counterattacks Four illegals annexed areas where Putin said martial law Area from which Russian troops have retired Area held from Russian- supported separatists since 2014 Annexed by Russia in 2014 Control areas from November 8 Sources: Institute for the Study of War, AEI’s Critical Threats Project Territory reclaimed from Ukraine through counterattacks Four illegals annexed areas where Putin said martial law Area from which Russian troops have retired Area held by supported by Russia separatists since 2014 Annexed by Russia in 2014 Control areas from November 9 Sources: Institute for the Study of War, AEI’s Critical Threats Project Land reclaimed from Ukraine through counterattacks Four illegals annexed areas where Putin said martial law Area from which Russian troops have retired Area held by supported by Russia separatists since 2014 Annexed by Russia in 2014 Control areas from November 9 Sources: Institute for the Study of War The loss of Kherson is a major military and political setback for the Kremlin in Ukraine and a blow to its efforts to consolidate its dominance in areas of the country’s south. A large crowd of revelers, some draped in Ukrainian flags, gathered Friday in Kherson’s main square to celebrate, according to videos widely shared on social media and verified by the Washington Post. Friday’s withdrawal came earlier than Western officials had anticipated. US Army General Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, predicted on Tuesday that the Russian withdrawal from the city in southern Ukraine would take “days and maybe even weeks”. Ukrainian officials had also expressed skepticism that Russia could quickly withdraw from Kherson. Russia orders the exit from the city of Kherson, abandoning the main regional capital “At 5 a.m. Moscow time, the redeployment of Russian troops to the left bank of the Dnieper River was completed,” the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday. “Not a single piece of military equipment and weapons remained … and there were no losses of personnel, weapons, equipment,” the statement said. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu issued an order on television Wednesday for troops to withdraw across the river to conserve strength. With the fog of war engulfing the Kherson battlefield, it remained unclear as of Wednesday whether some Russian forces could be blocked on the west side of the river, the Washington Post reported. What you need to know about Russia’s withdrawal from the city of Kherson On Friday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on Kherson, calling it a matter for the Russian Defense Ministry. But he said that “the Kherson region is a subject of the Russian Federation. This situation has been fixed.” Fighting has engulfed Kherson, even as the Kremlin claimed the region as its own, along with three other Ukrainian territories, in a widely condemned annexation in late September. A withdrawal from the city means relinquishing the capital of a region that Russian President Vladimir Putin declared part of Russia weeks ago. The Russian retreat from the city of Kherson sets the scene for more fierce fighting A Ukrainian official, who was not authorized to speak to the media and spoke on condition of anonymity, said earlier Friday that Ukrainian forces entered three parts of the city of Kherson, including the central Suvorovsky district. Ganna Malyar, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, told the Washington Post on Friday that Ukrainian forces were still very close to the city, but that “special units” were already inside. Officials in Kyiv expressed concern this week about whether some Russian forces could be holed up in the city and blamed the departing troops for destroying infrastructure. Videos and photos released Friday and verified by The Post showed that parts of the Antonovsky Bridge, which connects Kherson to territory in southern Ukraine controlled by Russian forces, have collapsed. The bridge has previously been the target of rocket attacks. However, satellite images captured by Planet Labs on Thursday afternoon showed that no significant sections were missing, indicating that new structural damage occurred in the last day. A Ukrainian government adviser blamed Russian troops, accusing them of blowing it up while retreating. Video posted on November 11 showed extensive damage to the Antonovsky Bridge in Kherson, including collapsed sections. (Video: Telegram) Samuel Oakford contributed to this report.
