According to British estimates, the recapture of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson by Ukrainian troops means considerable damage to Russia’s image. “The withdrawal is a public acknowledgment of the difficulties faced by Russian forces on the west bank of the Dnipro River,” the defense ministry said in London on Saturday.
Department head Ben Wallace spoke of “another strategic failure”. The Russian capture of Kherson early in the war was the only time Russia had achieved a significant goal. If the city were to be abandoned again, people in Russia would increasingly wonder what the war was for.
Ukraine has occupied large parts of the Kherson region on the west bank of the Dnipro and now largely controls the namesake city, the agency said, citing intelligence officials.
Withdrawal probably started weeks ago
The ministry doubted that Russia had evacuated troops and equipment in the shortest possible time. It is more likely that the withdrawal had already started on October 22, when the Russian occupation administration asked the civilian population to leave the city. Since then, Russia has probably taken military equipment and armed forces in civilian clothes along with the 80,000 civilians officially evacuated from the city.
The British ministry also said Russia was still trying to evacuate units from other parts of the Kherson oblast to defensive positions across the Dnipro. “Russian forces most likely destroyed road and rail bridges across the Dnipro as part of this process,” it said in London.
The British Ministry of Defense has published information on the course of the war on a daily basis, based on intelligence information, since the start of the Russian offensive against Ukraine at the end of February. With this, the British government wants to both counter the Russian image and keep allies in line. Moscow accuses London of a disinformation campaign.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
