Russia Begins Retreat From Kherson, Ukraine Warns of Traps Left Behind

Russian forces are reportedly retreating from the city of Kherson. The city sits at the mouth of the Dnipro river and is the westernmost point the Russians have reached in the war. The retreat is a major victory for the Ukrainians, but officials are warning of potential traps that await the Ukrainian military as it retakes the city.

Key Quotes: An advisor of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky tweeted that Russia “mines everything they can: apartments, sewers. Artillery on the left [eastern] bank plans to turn the city into ruins. This is what ‘Russian world’ looks like: came, robbed, celebrated, killed ‘witnesses,’ left ruins and left.” Addressing the Ukrainian nation on Wednesday, Zelensky warned that “our emotions must be restrained. The enemy does not bring us gifts. Therefore, we move very carefully, without emotions, without unnecessary risk.” In a meeting aired on Russia state TV, Russian Gen. Sergey Surovikin acknowledged the retreat was “not a simple decision, but at the same time, we will most importantly preserve the lives of our servicemen and in general the combat readiness of the group of forces.”

For Context: Kherson is the only provincial capital captured by Russian forces since the invasion began in February. The Kherson region is one of the four regions formally annexed by Moscow in September.

How the Media Covered It: Covered more heavily in center and left outlets, the retreat was framed as a major blow for Russia, but threats of mines and traps in the city were emphasized.