Russian withdrawal and Ukrainian offensives in Kherson Region

Russian withdrawal and Ukrainian offensives in Kherson Region

East of the Inhulets river, Uakraine is advancing towards Beryslav and the Kahkovka dam. Russia is pulling some troops in to cover this area.

Russian soldiers and equipment are being withdrawn across the Dnieper River near Beryslav and over the dam. The crossing and the dam are not currently shelled. Russia brigades and 3 of the 4 Russia units who were just deployed here with fresh mobilized are apparently withdrawing already.

West of the Inhulets River the situation is different. The bridgehead around Kherson and inside the city itself is held by 13k to 16k RU soldiers Russia is abandoning certain areas of the first line of defense, which runs from Pravdyne in the west to Snihurivka in the east.

None of the Russian unit commanders in and around Kherson city have yet received orders to retreat across the Dnieper. Many have written reports protesting with the pullout if RU troops on their flanks to the NW and NE, and have requested new orders, but received none yet.

Across the Dnieper near the Antonovsky Bridge, ammo/equipment is being evacuated across via boat, including munitions just recently brought into the city. Soldiers and equipment remain at second lines of defense (outside the city) and in Kherson city itself.

Per Russian sources, there are fears that after the eastern part of the group is withdrawn beyond the Dnipro and Beryslav is abandoned, the Kakhova dam may be blown up. This would make it impossible for troops located west of the Inhulets to retreat S across the Dnipro river.

Another argument in favor of blowing up the dam, is the necessity to delay UA assaults in the direction of Melitopol. Russian believes as long as there are urban battles for Kherson, the Ukrainian in Zaporizhzhia will not go on the offensive, delaying 1-2 weeks for Russian defensive ops.

Ukrainian officials are still skeptical about statements by Surovikin and Shoigu about leaving Kherson. Too many Russian units and equipment have been transferred to Kherson, especially the city, in the last two weeks.