Ukraine's troops move cautiously into Kherson as Russia declares its hasty withdrawal complete - CBS News

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Ukrainian troops participate Kherson arsenic Russia retreats

Ukrainian troops participate Kherson arsenic Russia retreats 02:07

Russia's subject said connected Friday that it had completed its withdrawal from the confederate Ukrainian metropolis of Kherson, the lone determination superior that Vladimir Putin's invading service had managed to seizure since helium launched his full-scale war astatine the extremity of February. The subject said "not a azygous portion of subject equipment" was near connected the occidental slope of the Dnipro River, which bisects the wider Kherson region, with the metropolis of the aforesaid sanction sitting connected its westbound bank.

In a statement, subject commanders successful Moscow said "all Russian servicemen crossed" the stream without sustaining "losses of personnel, weapons, subject instrumentality and material." The announcement came conscionable 2 days aft Russia's defence main ordered the retreat from Kherson city, with his apical commandant successful Ukraine telling him successful a televised speech that it was "not easy" to marque the call, but that it would "save the lives of our military."

There was nary contiguous connection from Ukrainian oregon U.S. subject officials to corroborate the Russian announcement, but Ukrainian lawmaker Oleksiy Goncharenko told CBS News analogous Chris Livesay that his country's forces were successful the metropolis of Kherson connected Friday morning. He had said earlier successful a tweet that Ukrainian troops were "already successful Kherson."

Images rapidly emerged connected societal media showing Ukraine's nationalist emblem flying successful beforehand of the determination medication building. Videos showed civilians hugging Ukrainian soldiers and helping them bent Ukrainian flags connected different buildings, including the city's constabulary headquarters.

There were claims by Ukrainian civilians connected societal media that immoderate Russian troops had enactment connected civilian apparel and remained behind, and Ukrainian troops were entering cautiously, wary of mines and boobytraps.

Allegations of torture successful Russian-occupied Kherson

Ukrainian and U.S. officials were skeptical of the Russian withdrawal announcement from the infinitesimal it was issued connected Wednesday, suggesting it could beryllium a trap to lure Ukraine's forces eastward, toward entrenched Russian positions connected the eastbound slope of the Dnipro.

As of Thursday evening successful Ukraine, U.S. officials told CBS News they had seen nary signs of Russian troops moving successful important numbers crossed the river. CBS News nationalist information analogous David Martin said that wasn't needfully viewed arsenic grounds that the withdrawal announcement was a ruse, conscionable that it would apt instrumentality time.

While determination was nary authoritative confirmation of the presumption of the Russian withdrawal from Ukrainian commanders, unverified videos posted online showed what appeared to beryllium Russian troops crossing a pontoon span crossed the Dnipro connected foot. The span sat close adjacent to the larger Antonivskiy Bridge, which aggregate videos showed wholly unusable, with a ample conception destroyed.

Russian soldiers walking crossed a pontoon span conscionable adjacent to the destroyed Antonovsky Bridge successful Kherson region. pic.twitter.com/528rIt0YSY

— Clash Report (@clashreport) November 11, 2022

While it wasn't instantly wide what caused the illness of the roadworthy bridge, BBC News reported that the cardinal portion of infrastructure had been "gradually damaged by Ukrainian missiles" during Russia's months-long concern of Kherson metropolis and overmuch of the surrounding region.

Russia's invading forces person suffered setbacks for the past mates months, retreating from towns and villages westbound of Kherson, and successful areas northbound of that region, amid a Ukrainian counteroffensive bolstered by the immense influx of Western weapons.

While the Ukrainian beforehand has pushed the Russians backmost quickly, the U.S. has been reluctant to assistance country's requests for adjacent much precocious weapons systems, and galore analysts expect the accelerated displacement successful the beforehand lines of the past mates months to dilatory arsenic wintertime sets successful and Russia entrenches successful positions it has held for years further successful eastbound Ukraine.

Ukrainian soldiers conscionable a fewer miles from force lines person been utilizing Western-supplied drones to hone successful connected Russian positions. But the Russians tin besides spot the Ukrainians coming.

Russia's comparatively new commandant successful the warfare — dubbed "General Armageddon" — has shown helium is willing to usage devastating tactics, relying connected long-range rocket and drone strikes to pummel civilian areas successful a bid to alteration Ukrainian morale.

Russian attacks connected Ukraine's powerfulness grid permission 4.5 cardinal without power 05:29

The strikes person knocked retired powerfulness and h2o supplies to millions of Ukrainians, and arsenic CBS News analogous Chris Livesay reports, Russia's retreating forces person besides near down them a deadly way of landmines and boobytraps.

Even if and erstwhile Ukraine does corroborate that Russia's forces person pulled retired of Kherson, the Russian threat, with its indiscriminate firepower, volition inactive prevarication entrenched conscionable crossed the river. And contempt mounting calls for bid talks, there's small to suggest the warfare that has raged for much than 8 months, and simmered for much than 8 years earlier that, is astir to end.

So far, U.S. officials estimation the warfare has claimed the lives of astir 40,000 Ukrainian civilians, portion immoderate 100,000 of the country's forces person been killed oregon injured. Russian forces are believed to person sustained a akin fig of casualties.

CBS News shaper Erin Lyall contributed to this report.

Tucker Reals

Tucker Reals is the CBSNews.com overseas editor, based astatine the CBS News London bureau.

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