Ukraine admits heavy rains have slowed its progress in the region, from which more than 70,000 people have already been evacuated
More than 70,000 people have been evacuated from Kherson on the eve of what may be the “toughest” battle since the invasion began. This is how the Ukrainian authorities define it, ready for their troops to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the Russian military to recapture a strategic enclave and inflict a heavy defeat on the Kremlin, at least psychologically. In that case, it would be the most significant city war since the one in Kiev’s suburbs during last spring’s siege.
Instead of withdrawing, as the Ukrainian General Staff interpreted when the pro-Russian regional government ordered the evacuation of Kherson a few days ago, the Kremlin has sent a reinforcement of 2,000 soldiers to the city and its officers to the left bank of the Dnieper. . In this way, he uses the river as a parapet – placing it between the front line and the command center – and leaves the road to Crimea behind, “in case he needs a quick retreat route,” according to Western intelligence.
Pro-Russian authorities confirmed on Wednesday that more than 70,000 civilians have already crossed the river to get away from the scene where the confrontation has escalated in violence in recent days. According to Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksi Reznikov, one of the reasons for the residents’ withdrawal is the supply problems they experience after the Ukrainians attacked the supply routes and the bridge into the city. However, unlike what happened in Limán a few weeks ago, this time Moscow has decided not to pull out.
Everything seems to indicate that the battle will not take place immediately. Reznikov acknowledged that heavy rain in recent days has slowed the advance of Ukrainian troops and armor. The contingent is “moving forward step by step”, although “a little slower” than expected, and “will continue to do so in the coming days”. Despite the inclement weather, the two armies held several battles on the front lines on Wednesday, in which a dozen civilians were killed.
Two of the battles took place in the towns of Svatove and Kreinna, not far from the Kherson region, but within the Lugansk Oblast. The Russian General Staff explained that Ukrainian units, consisting of several dozen soldiers, repeatedly stormed their positions and then retreated, presumably with the intention of testing their defences.
For his part, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday guaranteed the allies’ support for the Kiev government in the event that negotiations with Russia to end the war are underway. The goal would be for the Zelensky Executive to come to the dialogue table strengthened to achieve an “acceptable” outcome. “Most wars end at the negotiating table. And at the same time, we know that what Ukraine can achieve at that table depends entirely on its strength on the battlefield,” he noted.
Source: La Verdad
I am an experienced and passionate journalist with a strong track record in news website reporting. I specialize in technology coverage, breaking stories on the latest developments and trends from around the world. Working for Today Times Live has given me the opportunity to write thought-provoking pieces that have caught the attention of many readers.
