The Russian Defense Ministry announced Friday that it had finished withdrawing its forces from the western bank of the Dnipro River in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine, a retreat that Western reports described as a humiliating setback for Moscow in the his war in Ukraine.
Withdrawal completed.
The ministry said in a statement released by Russian state news agencies that the withdrawal was completed at five in the morning on Friday and no units of military equipment were left.
Furthermore, the areas left by the Russian army included the city of Kherson, the only regional capital that Moscow conquered during the war. in Ukraine for 8 and a half months.
“No embarrassment for Putin”
The Kremlin remained provocative on Friday, insisting that the withdrawal was not in no way to embarrass Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Moscow continues to view the Kherson region as part of Russia.
He added that the Kremlin does not regret holding celebrations just over a month ago to celebrate the illegal annexation of Kherson and three other Ukrainian regions.
“difficult situation”
Shortly before the Russian announcement, the office of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the situation in the Kherson region as “difficult”.
He spoke of the Russian bombing of some villages and towns over which Ukrainian forces have regained control in recent weeks during their counterattack in the Kherson region.
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