LONDON, 10 November 2022, (TON): Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered his troops to withdraw from the occupied Ukrainian city of Kherson and take up defensive lines on the opposite bank of the River Dnipro.

The announcement marked one of Russia’s most significant retreats and a potential turning point in the war, now nearing the end of its ninth month.

In televised comments, General Sergei Surovikin, in overall command of the war, said it was no longer possible to keep Kherson city supplied.

Surovikin said “we will save the lives of our soldiers and fighting capacity of our units. Keeping them on the right bank is futile. Some of them can be used on other fronts.”