In response to Ukrainian attacks near the southern city of Kherson, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered his soldiers to leave the west bank of the Dnipro River on Wednesday.
The declaration signalled one of Russia’s biggest withdrawals and perhaps a turning point in the war, which is now approaching the end of its ninth month.
General Sergei Surovikin, who oversaw the conflict, declared in broadcast remarks that Kherson city could no longer be supplied.
He claimed that he had suggested setting up guard posts on the river’s eastern bank.
The news followed weeks of Ukrainian advances towards the city and a race by Russia to relocate more than 1,00,000 of its residents.
“We’ll preserve both the lives of our soldiers and the combat effectiveness of our battalions. Keeping them on the right (western) bank is futile. Some of them can be used on other fronts,” Mr. Surovikin said.
