Russia annexes the southern Ukrainian region of Kherson through a pseudo-referendum. But militarily it controls the region only partially. Ukraine is making further advances there. In the north of the area, the Kremlin's troops are withdrawing, probably for fear of being surrounded.
The Ukrainian army reports the liberation of further towns from Russian troops in southern Ukraine. The head of the presidential office, Andriy Yermak, wrote to the Telegram news service about five places that had been recaptured. Videos from the long-fought village of Davydiv Brid and the villages of Velyka Oleksandrivka and Starossillya on the Inhulets River circulated on social networks. In addition, Ukrainian units are said to have moved into Dudchany on the Dnipro River.
The Russian nationalist Igor Girkin also reports on Telegram about a withdrawal: The important settlement of Davydiv Brid, for which bitter fighting had been going on for two months, and "a number of other larger villages in the area were left behind. The retreat continues." So far, there have been no official confirmations from the Russian side.
As Reuters correspondent Felix Light tweeted, Russian war blog Rybar reported a "general withdrawal" of Russian troops north of Kherson. The Russians are withdrawing - apparently for fear of being surrounded - from positions they have occupied since March. Rybar himself wrote on Telegram about a "regrouping" and the decision to "withdraw the contingent of the Russian armed forces to a new line of defense".
Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24 and has since officially annexed four territories in southern and eastern Ukraine. However, it only partially controls these areas and has to retreat further and further after successful Ukrainian counterattacks.
According to the US think tank "Institute for the Study of War" (ISW), Ukrainian troops have had several successes in Cherson in the past few days. The institute relies on Russian and Ukrainian sources.
According to this, Russia used elite troops such as the 76th Guards Air Assault Division of the airborne troops in Cherson. The fact that these well-trained armed forces appear unable to repel the Ukrainian counterattacks in Kherson, the think tank sees as a sign that even elite Kremlin troops are becoming weaker and weaker as the war progresses.
The Guardian reports that Russian troops are in danger of losing control of strategically important cities in Kherson, citing information from Western government officials. Accordingly, the Kremlin's army would have to withdraw from the city of Kherson and possibly even from parts of Crimea if Ukrainian troops advance further.
At the same time, these government officials warn that the fighting around the Dnipro River could become complicated. The situation in southern Ukraine threatens to worsen as Russian forces continue to be cornered on the river. In this case, an escalation cannot be ruled out, as there is no political leeway for the Russian government to withdraw the troops from Cherson.
