– It seems that the Russians are trying to carry out a withdrawal in several phases. They do this to avoid departments being surrounded, writes the analyst Michael Kofman. He leads the Russia studies at the think tank CNA. This means that the Russians are not leaving Kherson in a united flock. They hold back troops to screen the retreat of the others. Military expert Mick Ryan points out that this is one of the most complicated things a military force can carry out. – There is a lot that can go wrong for the Russians, and on their heels they will have an aggressive Ukrainian force, writes Ryan. Ryan is a former general in the Australian Defense Force and is now associated with the Center for Strategic & International Studies. FIRST BIG DECISION: General Sergej Surovikin has been commander of the Russian forces in Ukraine for only a few weeks. Now he has made plans for an operation that can go very wrong. Photo: Pavel Golovkin / AP Saving equipment and lives The supreme leader of the Russian forces in Ukraine, General Sergej Surovikin, yesterday received permission from the army leadership to withdraw the forces to the other side of the Dnipro river. – Begin the withdrawal. Take all precautions so that the troops, equipment and vehicles are transferred to the other side of the river in a safe manner, said Chief of Defense Sergej Sjojgu. What has set the stage for what is happening now is the Ukrainian attack on the bridges over the Dnipro. This meant that the Russians on the “wrong” side of the river had problems with supplies. RIGHT BEHIND THE RUSSIANS: The Ukrainian forces stand outside the city of Kherson. They must be ready to attack the retreating Russians. Photo: STRINGER / Reuters The Ukrainians are making slow progress Kofman believes that the Ukrainians are now trying to find out where the Russians are weak. That they try to advance while avoiding major losses. In recent days, the Russians have blown up a number of bridges in the area. It has been interpreted as an attempt to slow down the Ukrainians when the withdrawal happens. Mick Ryan believes the Ukrainians want to destroy and capture as much as possible of the Russian forces in Kherson. – These Russian forces will then be unable to carry out operations elsewhere. Destroying them would also be a significant victory for the Ukrainians, writes Ryan. Attacked column There is little information from the Ukrainians about what is happening on the Kherson front. The Ukrainian president said in a speech on Wednesday night that they did not want to give anyone for free to the Russians. – We will proceed carefully to make our losses as small as possible, said President Volodymyr Zelenskyj. His adviser, Oleksiy Arestovych, writes that they are attacking the Russians. He claims a column near the Antonivka bridge in Kherson was taken under fire on the night of Thursday. – It is already quite clear that the loss of Kherson for the Russian Federation is a strategic, moral and political breakdown, writes Arestovych. UNDER FIRE: The possible crossing points at Kherson. This is an operation that the Russians must carry out while in danger of coming under precise Ukrainian artillery fire. Photo: Twitter/NLwartracker Vulnerable The Russians must use ferries to move forces to the other side of the Dnipro. These ferries have been under fire a number of times. The river, and the surrounding area, is within range of Ukrainian precision weapons. During the withdrawal from the front, the march towards the ferry berths, during the crossing and later they can become targets. Ryan believes the task the Russians must carry out is difficult. – The military leadership must have excellent tactical sense. They must have a good understanding of the terrain and the capacity of their own forces. The supreme leader must understand that one mistake could mean the destruction of the entire retreating force, writes Ryan. DESTRUCTIONS: In Kherson county, the war has already led to heavy losses. Photo: VALENTYN OGIRENKO / Reuters Making it difficult Another adviser to the Ukrainian president, Mykhailo Podoljak, claims the Russians want to make Kherson the “city of death”. – The Russian defense forces deploy explosive charges wherever they can. Even in apartments and the sewers, writes Podolyak on Twitter. He believes the Russians want to destroy the city. That they have placed artillery on the other side of the river to do this. – This is what the Russian world looks like: They came, they robbed, they killed, they destroyed and now they are leaving, writes Podolyak
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The Russians still hold Kherson – news Urix – Foreign news and documentaries
