Illustrative Image: Kherson city sign
The Russian military has recently left several towns in the northern part of the Kherson region amid the increased pressure by the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
After the Ukrainian military reached the village of Dudchany located on the right bank of the Kakhovsky reservoir and attacked Russian positions in the area of Davidov Brod on the north western front lines of the Kherson region, the Russian grouping in the north of the region faced the risk of encirclement.
As a result of Ukrainian offensive, the Russian military decided to withdraw from the area. They left the towns located on the left bank of the Ingulets River, including Davidov Brod, where the fierce fighting had been ongoing for about two months, Olgino, Arkhangelskoe, Velikaya Aleksandrovka and Malaya Aleksandrovka. They also left their positions near Novovoskresenskoe and Novaya Kamenka.
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Russian forces are expected to establish their defences along the Kostroma — Borozenskoye — Mylovoye line. So far, clashes near Dudchany continue.
The retreat allowed the Russian military to avoid the encirclement and straighten the front line. Taking into account the limited contingent of Russian forces deployed in the region, the manoeuvre should also shorten the front line which will strengthen the Russian defence.
Unlike the Ukrainian military command, which freely uses military personnel as cannon fodder, the Russian military is determined to save the lives of military personnel. So far, all Russian groupings that were surrounded by Ukrainian troops have been evacuated before their destruction. The Russian side is suffering from a shortage of military personnel and urgently needs to strengthen its military positions with mobilized servicemen in order to stop the advance of Ukraine and launch any counter-offensive operations.
The AFU are aimed to reach the city of Novaya Kakhovka, where the hydroelectric power station is located, and further advance to Kherson. If their advance continues, the capital of the region may be surrounded. The Ukrainian Armed Forces are already preparing for offensive operations in the area of Snigirevka, from where they will try to advance to the city of Kherson from the north-western direction. Another direction of the Ukrainian offensive may be the Posad-Pokrovsky region, where the AFU hold their military positions 30 kilometers west of the city. At the same time, the Ukrainian navy has already demonstrated its intentions to launch an assault operation in the Dnieper estuary.
The situation seems critical for the Russian military. If immediate measures are not taken, the security of the entire Kherson region, which recently voted for joining the Russian Federation, may be under threat. In this case, the Crimean peninsula will also fall under the sights of Ukraine and NATO.
