Russia withdraw troops from city of Kherson

Russia’s defence minister Sergie Shoigu ordered its military to pull out of the Ukrainian city of Kherson, the only regional capital it captured since the invasion began in February 2022.

Russia’s commander in Ukraine, Gen Sergei Surovikin, said it is not possible to supply the city any more due to the bridges across the Dnipro river being destroyed by Ukrainian missiles.

The Russian forces will pull out entirely from the western bank of the River Dnipro and it is a serious blow as Russia faces a Ukrainian counter-offensive.

Ahead of the withdrawal, Russia moved thousands of civilians out of the city by boat, in what Kyiv condemned as a forced deportation.