Ukrainian military says Russia’s predicament could portend withdrawal in south

KHERSON, UKRAINE, FIRST LINE, Oct. 21 (Reuters) – For Ukrainian soldiers stationed north of the Russian-held city of Kherson, the recent decline in Russian artillery fire and armor movements meant that the enemy was in the vicinity. Digging the treeline indicates that it is suffering from serious manpower, supply and hardware problems.

This could mean the Russians have abandoned defenses in the provincial capital and are preparing to withdraw across the Dnipro, soldiers said when Reuters visited their positions on Friday. We said

“They understand that they are running out of ammunition. They understand that they are running out of fodder for their artillery. said Fugas, 38, commander of the 600-strong force that was killed. Mikolaiv province bordering Kherson.

The Russians “constantly suffer losses in this area. We are trying to do everything possible so that the Russians can leave this place as soon as possible,” West Lviv.

Ukrainian forces began moving in August to retake Kherson, a strategically important shipbuilding center on the mighty Dnipro River. In recent weeks they have pushed the Russian army back 20–30 km (13–20 mi) of his part of the line.

Kherson Oblast is one of four partially occupied territories declared part of Russia by Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 30.

Three weeks later, there are signs that Ukrainian military action may be forcing Putin to concede land in Kherson and pull his troops back to the southern bank of the Dnipro.

Russia-appointed occupation authorities this week began evacuating thousands of civilians from Kherson to the south bank, which Kyiv denounced as deportations.

Air Force General Sergei Slovikin, who was appointed to command Russia’s invasion force this month, admitted that the situation in Kherson was “extremely difficult” and that Moscow “has not ruled out difficult decisions”.

The front-line sector visited by Reuters on Friday was largely quiet.

Occasional clumps of exploding shells echoed across the flat field. Flocks of partridges and long-legged herons shot from the bushes stood in ponds near small villages ravaged by artillery fire.

Ukrainian troops were deployed in trenches dug in one of the numerous tree lines that divided the fields. This is difficult terrain for the Russians to defend against an armed and determined army supported by long-range artillery and heavy armor.

The Russian army “has been firing less for about three weeks now,” said Myhailo, 42, who, like other soldiers, declined to give his last name. “And their drones are less active.”

“It was probably a month or so ago when the shelling went down,” agreed 19-year-old Sasha.

It was unclear to what extent the trend spread across the Southern Front. Ukrainian military regulations prohibited the identification of units and their locations.

The men were sitting in their car seats, relaxing, chatting and smoking. Their mascot, a German Shepherd named Odin, lounged by his assault rifle and yawned deeply.

The military said they would not allow the Russians to retreat without a fight.

“We are not going to help them,” swore Maikheiro, who worked in civilian life as a welder in the Lviv region where the unit is based. You think? You can’t break into someone’s house and go.”

Reporting by Jonathan Lundy, Editing by Rosalba O’Brien

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