Latest news on Russia and the war in Ukraine

As Russia’s military commanders announced another significant withdrawal from another tentatively occupied part of Ukraine on Wednesday, the retreat means further humiliation for President Putin.

Putin kept a low profile on Wednesday as Russia announced it was withdrawing its troops from the city of Kherson and the entire west bank of the Dnipro river that bisects the Kherson region, as it could no longer supply its troops there and said it was worried about its military personnel.

On Sept. 30, Putin hailed the annexation of Kherson, following a fake referendum in the region, saying residents there were “becoming our citizens forever.”

Six weeks later — during which time Russia has instigated a forced evacuation of residents in Kherson to Russian territory — and Putin’s words ring hollow.

As news of the withdrawal emerged yesterday, one of Putin’s former advisors Sergei Markov wrote on his Telegram account that “the surrender of Kherson is the largest geopolitical defeat of Russia since the collapse of the USSR” and warned that “the political consequences of this huge defeat will be really big.” 

— Holly Ellyatt

Senior United Nations officials planned to meet members of a high-level Russian delegation in Geneva on Friday to discuss the Ukraine grain deal, a U.N. spokesperson said.

“They will continue ongoing consultations in support of the efforts by the Secretary-General António Guterres on the full implementation of the two agreements signed on 22 July in Istanbul,” the spokesperson said in a statement Wednesday.

— Reuters

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy struck a more serious and restrained note in his nightly address, despite the “joy in the informational space” following Russia’s decision to withdraw troops from Kherson.

“Maybe this doesn’t sound like what everyone expects right now, maybe it doesn’t sound like what’s in the news [today],” he said. “But you need to understand: no one just moves anywhere if they feel strong. The enemy does not give us gifts, does not make ‘gestures of goodwill’. We choose all of this.”

Instead, Zelenskyy explained, Ukraine moves “very carefully, without emotions, without unnecessary risk,” both in the interests of liberating the entire territory of Ukraine and minimizing loss of life on and off the battlefield.

That also means remaining silent on details of upcoming operations, he noted, and letting the victories speak for themselves when they come.

“This is how we will secure the liberation of Kherson, Kakhovka, Donetsk, and our other cities,” he said. “But this will be the result of our efforts, our defense operations. Those that are currently ongoing, those that we are still planning.”

— Rocio Fabbro

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy established four new military administrations in the Kherson region, following Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s announcement that Russia will transfer troops to the east bank of the Dnipro river, away from Kherson city.

“The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, signed the Decree on the formation of four military administrations in the Kherson region. Dolmativska, Holoprystanska, Kakhovska and Khrestivska,” Kyrylo Tymoshenko, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, said in a Telegram post.

Military administrations are temporary local governments, which stem from a 2015 law that ensures that the Ukrainian constitution and laws continue to be upheld. The Presidential Decree comes into effect immediately.

Ukraine continues its advance on Kherson as Russia withdraws its troops. Ukrainian officials are skeptical about Russia’s announcement. Mykhailo Podolyak, an advisor to Zelenkyy’s, stated in a tweet that he sees “no signs that Russia is leaving Kherson without a fight.”

— Rocio Fabbro

The spokesperson for Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oleg Nikolenko, delivered a blistering response to Russia’s recent announcement that it is ready to engage in negotiations with Ukraine.

“The statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia is another smoke screen,” he said in a statement. “Russian officials start to mention the talks every time Russian troops are defeated on the battlefield. Moscow is not interested in restoring peace in Ukraine.”

“Simulating a readiness for dialogue, the Russian Federation is trying to buy time to regroup its units, prepare newly mobilized Russians, solve the issue of lack of weapons, eliminate the shortcomings of logistics, and then resort to new waves of aggression with new forces,” he added.

Earlier on Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova told a news briefing that Russia is ready to negotiate and has never refused to do so, reported Russian state-owned news agency TASS. The announcement followed news that Russia would withdraw troops from the west bank of the Dnipro River.

According to Nikolenko, the feeling is similar to that of 2014 and 2015, following Russia’s annexation of Crimea. Despite statements coming from the Russian Federation indicating an openness to peace talks, Nikolenko sees Russia’s actions as directly contrary to those ends.  

“Those who are really interested in peace negotiations do not destroy cities and villages, do not kill civilians, do not destroy energy infrastructure, do not abuse the residents of temporarily occupied territories, do not interfere with food supplies,” he said.

Ukraine has repeatedly assured allies that it is still open to negotiations, under its own terms.

“Let me remind you that Ukraine has repeatedly offered negotiations,” Nikolenko said. “But we always received either a contemptuous reaction and a demand to obey the Kremlin’s ultimatums, or another act of genocide against Ukrainians.”

— Rocio Fabbro

Russia’s Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu has ordered the withdrawal of troops from the west bank of the Dnipro river, marking the beginning of de-occupation of Ukraine’s Kherson region.

Shoigu agreed with the Russian General Sergey Surovikin’s proposal to organize defense on the east side of the Dnipro, reported Russian state-owned news agency RIA. Surovikin claimed that Kherson and surrounding areas could not be fully supplied or sustained under current conditions, as Ukraine continues its advances towards the region.

According to Ukrainian officials, the Russian retreat may have already begun. Several settlements in the region have already been vacated by Russian forces, Serhii Khlan, deputy head of the Kherson Regional Council, said in a news conference.

“Occupiers are now undermining absolutely all the bridges on the right bank of the Kherson region. By doing this, the occupiers are preparing a retreat for themselves and trying to slow down the onslaught of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,” Khlan said. The most critical task for Russian forces as they withdraw, noted Khlan, is to “strengthen the points they are already making” along the Dnipro, in Kherson and in the direction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric dam.

“Therefore, we can say that the de-occupation of the Kherson region has already actively begun,” he added.

The withdrawal marks yet another major military setback for Russia. Kherson city is a key city in southern Ukraine and the only regional capital captured by Russia since the launch of its invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24.

— Rocio Fabbro