Surprisingly, Russia withdraws troops from the frontline city of Kherson

Cherson – Russia has decided to withdraw its troops from the right bank of the Dnieper River, including the regional capital Kherson. The area is the first line of combat between Russian and Ukrainian forces.

The Russian Defense Ministry (Kemhan) has made it clear that it wants to avoid unnecessary losses among its troops and save the lives of civilians.

According to the head of Russian military operations in Ukraine, Army General Sergey Surovikin, while saying that the decision was not easy, the commanders did not consider it sensible to keep the troops on the right bank of the river.

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Surovikin revealed Wednesday to Russian Defense Minister (Menhan) Sergey Shoigu.

The general pointed to the ongoing Ukrainian attack on the Kakhovskaya hydroelectric dam on the Dnieper River, arguing that it could mean the complete isolation of Russian troops in Kherson.

“If the Kiev regime … launched an even more devastating attack on the Kakhovskaya Dam, a stream of water could emerge that would engulf a large area, causing significant civilian casualties,” Surovikin said.

He added: “This will create an additional threat to civilians and risk the complete isolation of our troop group on the right bank of the Dnieper.”

“The withdrawal will help avoid the worst-case scenario and also maintain the combat effectiveness of the troop cluster in the area,” Surovikin said.

“This is a very difficult decision. However, we will be able to defend the most important thing: the lives of our soldiers, “she said.