Ukrainian flags in the city of Kherson
On November 11, the Russian military left the right bank of the Dnieper River in the Kherson region, including the city of Kherson, which has recently entered the Russian Federation.
The decision of the Russian military command to withdrew forces from Kherson and other settlements on the right bank was declared on November 9 but the first Russian units had left the area days before.
So far, the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) have approached the city of Kherson from the western direction. After they took a foothold in the village of Chernobaevka, Ukrainian units entered the Shumensky district of the city and then headed to the center. Some civilians went to the streets. Despite the attempts of the Ukrainian propagandists to show their victories, the video shows that the number of civilians welcoming the AFU is extremely low.
Russian sources report that the units of the 28, 60, 61 and 63 brigades of the AFU, Polish mercenaries, as well as militants of the Sheikh Mansur battalion are taking part in the march on Kherson.
On November 11, the Russian Ministry of Defence declared that the withdrawal was completed at 5 a.m. Moscow time.
The end of the Russian retreat was marked by the blowing up of the Antonovsky bridge which was used for transfer of the Russian military equipment despite the constant attempts of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to destroy it. Two hours before, at about 3 a.m. local time another explosion thundered on the crossing at the Kakhovskaya dam. The railway bridge located near the village of Pridnestrovskoe was also reportedly blown up. All other pontoon crossings used by the Russian military were destroyed.
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The Russian Defense Ministry claimed that not a single unit of military equipment was left on the right bank of the Dnieper River.
“All Russian servicemen crossed to the left bank of the Dnieper. Formations and military units of the Russian armed forces took defensive lines and positions prepared in advance by the engineering units.
There were no losses of personnel, weapons, military equipment and material assets of the Russian troops.” the report of the Russian MoD reads.
At the same time, Ukrainian media share footage of the destroyed Russian equipment left by the retreating forces. This equipment was likely heavily damaged in battles rather it was out of service for a long time, and its transfer seemed impractical.
According to Russian reports, during the 3 day-long operation, 20 thousand servicemen, 3.5 thousand military equipment were withdrawn. However, more units have laft the area before the official announcement.
In its turn, the Kiev regime continues spreading fakes. For example, on November 11 Reuters published the interview of Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov who claimed that Russia had 40,000 troops in Kherson region and that it still had forces in the city, around the city and on the west bank of the vast Dnipro River despite announcing their retreat.
“It’s not that easy to withdraw these troops from Kherson in one day or two days. As a minimum, (it will take) one week,” he told Reuters, saying it was difficult to predict Russia’s actions and that Kyiv was focused on its own plan.
Reznikov’s claims are shared by Ukrainian media, saying that dozens of Russian servicemen were blocked in the city.
Several units of the Russian special forces remained in the city until this morning in order to ensure the safety of the river crossings. After these units withdrew to the left bank, the command was given to undermine the bridges.
The AFU have been constantly shelling the area of the ferry crossing near Kherson as well as other areas along the Dnieper River. Last night, one of the locks of the Kakhovskaya dam was damaged as a result of the Ukrainian shelling.
As soon as the Ukrainian military approached the city, the attacks on the crossing increased. Russian Air Defence forces, artillery and Aerospace forces covered the last retreating units as well as civilians who attempted to leave the city at last moment.
“During the night, the enemy tried to disrupt the transportation of civilians and the transfer of troops to the left bank of the Dnieper. During the night, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched five attacks with the American HIMARS multiple launch rocket system on crossings over the Dnieper River.
28 rockets were shot down by Russian air defense means. Five more rockets were successfully deflected from the targets by means of electronic warfare.” the Russian MoD reported.
Together with the Russian troops, the evacuation of civilians continued as some people stayed in the city until the last despite the official evacuation which took place from October 18 to November 9. On November 11, the last ferry crossed the Dnieper to the left bank. The Russian troops provided assistance to civilians who decided too leave the city in the last moment.
Russian air defense, artillery, aviation and engineering sapper units managed to slow down the advance of enemy troops and protect their own units on the river crossing. Russian forces stopped Ukrainian units 30-40 km from the Dnieper river crossing area.
Two tanks, two self-propelled artillery installations, three armored combat vehicles, and more than twenty Ukrainian servicemen were blown up in the minefields. Three 155-mm towed M777 howitzers, two infantry fighting vehicles and three enemy pickups were destroyed by Lancet barrage ammunition and MLRS fire.
According to the Russian Ministry of Defence, the advance of the AFU units in certain directions over the past two days amounted to no more than ten kilometers.
At night, Russian forces also destroyed an ammunition depot of the 28th mechanized Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine near the city of Nikolaev.
The Russian withdrawal from the right bank area in the Kherson region was likely a successful military operation. The Russian Army suffered minimum losses and managed to inflict some damage to the AFU. The Russian military likely drew a lesson from the recent disastrous retreat in the Kharkov region. However, the loss of the first large Russian city is the major Russian military defeat since the beginning of the Russian military operations in Ukraine.
The battles in the Kherson region will turn into positional artillery duels across the river. However, the Russian military is now taking new defensive position on the left bank which is about 50 meters lower than the right one. This is an important advantage for Ukrainian forces. In addition to the imminent artillery duels across the river, Ukrainian attempts to launch landing operations on the Kinburnskaya spit should be expected in the near future.
The freeze of military operations by the both sides is expected in the coming months on the southern Ukrainian front lines without any significant changes in other regions. Russia, the US and other parties may launch some negotiations with no significant results. Moscow and Kiev will exchange their prisoners of war and the bodies of dead servicemen. Artillery duels and mutual missile/UAV strikes on military and civilian strategic infrastructure will continue. There will be sabotage attacks and witch hunt in the war-torn regions as well as on the Russian territories.
The sides will be amassing forces for new military campaigns. There is still a chance that the Russian military will continue the advance on the Donbass front lines during the winter months. New large-scale offensive operations by Ukrainian forces should be expected in spring. In its turn, the AFU are likely to lunch another offensive in the Zaporozhie region in an attempt to cut the entire Russian grouping in Ukraine.
Another target of the AFU attacks may be the Crimean peninsula. The Ukrainian military are currently reinforcing their navy forces. In recent months, factories that produce light and medium boats, motor boats carrying 10-15-20-25 people, have been working for days on end without holidays and weekends. Ukrainian units, including Marines were brought to the UK for rotation, where combat coordination with British units is carried out. At least 3 Ukrainian assault brigades aimed to prepare for amphibious operations near Crimea have been formed.
While the Russian army is already being strengthened by newly mobilized military personnel, the AFU are now collecting funds and forces, preparing for the spring-summer military campaign.
So we won. Then why the hell are we retreating?
What is wrong with SF, that they delete some “regular” comments, but leave the practically DDOS-tier comments intact? It’s clearly an effort to drown out the discussion and make the articles load more slowly (which they do). LENGTH LIMIT IN JS/PHP/SQL? DELETE THE SPAM? HELLO?
I agree. Only supporters of the dictator Putin can comment on SF.
The Russian cowards are retreating without a fight. What a great army of cowards. Run cowards orcs ruuuuuuuun. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
South Front,get this idiot Kozlan off the forum before he laughs himself to death.
Well one thing is for sure, ukraine can say goodbye to Crimea forever. Antonovsky bridge is gone. Now they can enjoy that empty city freezing in the dark.
It’s pretty obvious that Russia is setting up the permanent border along the Dneiper, which should be about 100 miles long. If they put a pill box manned with 2 troops each every 1/4 mile that would make up about 400 pillboxes requiring 800 troops. Totally doable. Those troops will be supplied by service roads and air back up if Ukraine tries to cross. Get used to it, this is the demarcation Russia will take to the negotiations, and Russia will give up nothing. This is the new border.
Time to release water from Khavoka dam.
Congratulations to Russian military for this remarkable achievement.
Crimea is Russian forever. Cry more ukrotards :).
ADMIN: please limit the amount of characters availed to the comment section to 510 characters!
Surovikin might be thinking of the Dnieper river as his ally in the war. If he destroys all the bridges over it, the Ukrainian military could be drained of supplies and fuel on the east side of it and then pinned against the river and destroyed, with Russian troops also reaching Kiev in the process.
Since the demented Ukrainian trolls have learnt to use “copy & paste” (after long study), it would be better to limit comments to 1,000 characters.
Mate SF “team” care so much about its users, that is all I’m gonna say.
The Ukrainians military is so desperate that they rising to enter Kherson,the Russian left because the dam pose a treat to they soldier due to flooding. I mean now you in Kherson and what stop the Russian from destroying the dam and fools the city with you troop in it .
RIDICULO MUNDIAL de los rusos, dan verguenza ajena.
NSA troll farms are in full force. Must be embarrassing to sit in a basement typing BS all day. What a worthless life.
I have been watching Telegram channels all day and saw elated and joyful Ukrainians welcoming the UAF. Around noon when the first military arrived in Kherson a folksfest broke out. At night bonfires and dancing people. Maybe I was wrong on 24th of February.
It’s a terrible twos temper tantrum.
Well done Russia.
Let’s again remember, that what really made (back then) the Soviet Union win the war against Nazi Germany was that they learned how to properly withdraw. Seriously. Before, they were suffering horrendeous losses. By disciplined retreats, they evaded capture and destruction, thus enabling them to reform, reinforce and eventually counter-attack. We all know it worked out.
Nazi fans are showing their fine argument strategy, Joe9211 your picture does not go at the end of every sentence but under your name, ask someone smart how to do it.
Absolutely unfathomable. I can understand retreat. Maybe. But UKR is freely moving around LARGE convoys of equipment etc without interuption (except few suicide drones)!!! RF military is in disarray definitely. Dont talk about 20% of UKR teritory, dont talk about whole NATO on other side (yes it is) – it is shame! I am Serb and we are literally SHOCKED with this extremely poor performance of your military! You cant protect your own territory! Let alone help somebody else! DISASTER!