Russian Defense Minister Shoigu has ordered the withdrawal of military units from the western bank of the Dnipro River, including the capital of Kherson Oblast, which Putin's government has unilaterally annexed.
If the Russian army withdraws from the strategic point it has been holding since March immediately after the invasion of Ukraine, the war situation is likely to enter a serious phase.
Russia's Defense Minister Shoigu, who continues to invade Ukraine, held a meeting on the situation on the 9th, and the meeting was released on state-run Russian TV.
In it, Defense Minister Shoigu urged the Kherson region in southern Ukraine to "proceed with the withdrawal of troops and undertake all measures to ensure the safe transfer of personnel, weapons and equipment across the river," including the capital city of Kherson. He ordered the withdrawal of military units from the western bank of the Dnipro River.
In March, immediately after the invasion of Ukraine, the Russian military claimed to have taken complete control of the entire Kherson province, and the Putin administration unilaterally annexed four provinces, including Kherson province, in September.
In response, the Ukrainian army, aiming to recapture the territory, strengthened its reversal offensive and advanced troops toward the provincial capital, Kherson.
If the Russian army withdraws from the strategically important Kherson, the war situation is likely to enter a serious phase.