Ukrainian forces brace for bloody fight for Kherson - Reuters

FRONTLINE WEST OF KHERSON, Ukraine, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Oleh, the commandant of a Ukrainian mechanized infantry portion dug into trenches westbound of Kherson, is assured his Russian foes volition beryllium forced to wantonness the strategic larboard by wintertime weather, logistical logjams and the menace of encirclement.

But neither helium nor his men deliberation the Russians volition spell rapidly oregon softly and nor bash they mean to fto them.

His comments rise the spectre of a bloody slog successful the coming weeks for power of a cardinal metropolis connected the westbound slope of the Dnipro River which acts arsenic a gateway to the peninsula of Crimea annexed by Russia successful 2014.

"They volition support fighting. They volition support their positions arsenic agelong arsenic they person the quality to bash so," said Oleh, 26, a battle-hardened large who has risen done the ranks since enlisting arsenic a teen 10 years ago. "It volition beryllium a hard fight."

Kirill Stremousov, lawman caput of the Russian-installed medication successful Kherson region, said connected Thursday that helium hoped Russian forces would enactment up a fight.

"If we permission Kherson, it volition beryllium a immense blow," helium added, successful comments broadcast by Russia's RT television.

The contention for the lone provincial superior seized by Moscow successful the full-scale penetration launched connected Feb. 24 whitethorn beryllium 1 of the astir consequential of the warfare truthful far.

For Russian President Vladimir Putin, it would beryllium different setback pursuing a bid of important battlefield losses since mid-August.

With power of the Dnipro's westbound bank, subject experts said, Ukrainian forces would person a springboard from which to prehend a bridgehead connected the eastbound broadside for an beforehand connected Crimea.

Crimea is location to Russia's Black Sea fleet and Kyiv has made the peninsula's betterment its sworn goal.

Were Kherson to autumn successful the counter-offensive, the experts added, it would besides beryllium a governmental humiliation for Putin, arsenic Kherson is 1 of 4 partially occupied regions of Ukraine that helium announced would beryllium portion of Russia "forever" with large fanfare connected Sept. 30.

"It would beryllium a monolithic blow, chiefly politically," said Philip Ingram, a retired elder British subject quality officer. "And it would outgo him (Putin) militarily. If the Ukrainians were capable to get a bridgehead connected the eastbound broadside of the Dnipro, that would beryllium adjacent worse for the Russians."

The Ukrainians "will beryllium capable to hammer the Russians defending the approaches to Crimea," said retired U.S. General Ben Hodges, a erstwhile commandant of U.S. Army forces successful Europe.

A U.S. official, speaking connected information of anonymity, said it appeared the Russians already had begun "an organized, phased withdrawal" from the Dnipro's westbound bank.

ITCHING TO ATTACK

Thousands of civilians from the metropolis and surrounding areas person been evacuated to the eastbound broadside of the Dnipro successful caller weeks aft Russian-appointed concern authorities warned of the dangers posed by Ukrainian advances.

On Friday, Putin publicly endorsed the evacuation that Kyiv says has included forced deportations of civilians retired of Russian-occupied territory - a warfare transgression - which Russia denies.

Occupation authorities besides person relocated administrative offices and records to the eastbound bank, and a Western source, speaking connected information of anonymity, said astir Russian commanders had transferred their bases arsenic well.

The U.S. authoritative and Ukrainian commanders said the Russians had been reinforcing their beforehand lines, including deploying precocious mobilized reservists, successful a bid to amended support the withdrawal.

Some Ukrainian soldiers judge the poorly trained Russian reservists are being sent guardant "like lambs to the slaughter", portion much experienced troops are digging into antiaircraft lines further back, according to the U.S. official.

An orderly pullout could beryllium challenging for the Russians, requiring coordination, deception to conceal movements, communications discipline, and aggravated artillery barrages to suppress Ukrainian advances.

But Ukrainian troops could besides look superior obstacles that could stall their takeover of Kherson, including booby traps and concentrated Russian artillery and rocket occurrence from the eastbound bank, Hodges said.

As the sides connected Friday fought intermittent artillery duels, Oleh's 100-man portion took vantage of unusually mild upwind to cleanable weapons and instal floorboards successful earth-and-log-covered bunkers that are lined with thermal insulation and diagnostic portable generators and wood-burning stoves.

The unit, with six armoured unit carriers, took its positions successful September aft Ukrainian forces drove Russian troops backmost to Kherson's borderline with Mykolaiv province.

Oleh said the Russians were moving abbreviated of time, arsenic January would bring crystal floes down the Dnipro that could artifact ferry operations.

He was impatient to onslaught the enemy's anemic points to induce panic among reservists that could crook into a rout.

"If we don't commencement an attack, they volition conscionable support sitting there," helium said. "The mobilized ones are bully for america due to the fact that they make panic. Panic is infectious similar a disease. It spreads."

Additional reporting by Phil Stewart and Steve Holland successful Washington; Editing by Mike Collett-White and Daniel Wallis

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