Russia says it's withdrawing from the key city of Kherson, but Ukraine is skeptical - NPR

The Ukrainian artillery artillery of the 59th Mechanized Brigade fires a howitzer astatine points controlled by Russian troops successful Kherson Oblast, Ukraine connected Saturday. Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images hide caption

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Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

The Ukrainian artillery artillery of the 59th Mechanized Brigade fires a howitzer astatine points controlled by Russian troops successful Kherson Oblast, Ukraine connected Saturday.

Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

DNIPRO, Ukraine, and MOSCOW — Russia announced a unit withdrawal from the cardinal Ukrainian metropolis of Kherson connected Wednesday, successful what would beryllium a large stroke to President Vladimir Putin's warfare effort. But the authorities successful Kyiv was skeptical of the move.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday helium ordered troops to retreat from Kherson to the eastbound slope of the Dnipro River connected the proposal of the commandant of Russia's forces successful Ukraine, Gen. Sergei Surovikin.

"The determination to support connected the near slope of the Dnipro is not easy, but astatine the aforesaid clip we volition prevention the lives of our subject unit and the combat capableness of our forces," Surovikin said successful televised remarks arsenic helium presented a study connected the Russian subject run to Shoigu.

The announcement drew skepticism from Ukraine's government, which has previously suggested Russia could unreal to propulsion retired of Kherson to lure Ukrainian forces into battle.

"We spot nary signs that Russia is leaving Kherson without a fight," Ukrainian statesmanlike advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said connected Twitter pursuing Wednesday's announcement from Moscow.

Ukrainian forces person been steadily advancing connected the city. Kherson was the lone determination superior seized by Russian forces aft the February invasion. At the time, the Kremlin insisted Russia was successful Kherson "forever."

The nonaccomplishment of Kherson follows a drawstring of different subject defeats and retreats by Russia successful eastbound Ukraine. The metropolis is the superior of the Kherson region, 1 of 4 Ukrainian territories that Moscow officially claimed to person annexed and incorporated into the Russian Federation connected Sept. 30.

Military analysts and Ukrainian quality officials person been informing that a conflict for Kherson metropolis would devolve into bloody municipality warfare if Russia decided to effort to support the larboard astatine the basal of the Dnipro River.

For weeks, Moscow-installed administrators successful Kherson person repeatedly called connected radical to evacuate the metropolis to the eastbound slope of the Dnipro, saying a large Ukrainian battle was imminent. The evacuations moved civilians deeper into Russian-controlled territory. Some were bused to Crimea. Others were offered resettlement successful the interior of Russia. There were reports of Russian troops looting offices and shops arsenic they retreated.

Ukrainian forces had systematically blown up cardinal bridges successful and astir Kherson, cutting disconnected imaginable flight routes for Russian troops.

This is simply a processing story. Please cheque backmost for updates.

Jason Beaubien reported from Dnipro, Ukraine. Charles Maynes reported from Moscow.