Russian troops will withdraw from the crucial port city of Kherson, according to the commander of Russian forces in Ukraine.
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The commander of Russian forces in Ukraine said Wednesday that his troops will withdraw from the crucial port city of Kherson in the south, a major setback reflecting the Kremlin's increasing struggles to turn back a counteroffensive that has returned hundreds of square miles of seized land to Ukrainian control.
The announcement was met with skepticism by Ukrainian officials, who have been wary their troops may be lured into a trap by Russian forces girding for urban warfare in the industrial city on the west bank of the Dnipro River.
General Sergey Surovikin, speaking on Russian state TV, said retreat from the only regional capital seized since the war began in February was "a hard decision." But he told Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu the move would spare the lives of troops and allow for establishment of a better defensive position. Ukrainian attacks have cut off supply lines and crossing points, leaving Russian troops vulnerable to encirclement.
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