The media reports that the Antonovsky Bridge, the only close connection between the western bank of Djibouti, where Ukrainian forces are advancing, and the eastern bank, which is controlled by the Russians, has partially collapsed. city of Kherson. The already damaged bridge was allegedly mined. A Ukrainian television station published footage showing that the bridge is missing whole parts. The nearest next bridge is more than 70 kilometers away from Kherson.
IMG-4139Damage from rocket fire: Antonovsky Bridge in the city of Kherson / Photo: Youtube/printscreen
The BBC reports that the Russian Ministry of Defense announced today at 5:XNUMX a.m. Moscow time that "redeployment" of Russian military forces from the city of Kherson to the eastern bank of Djepr was completed and that "not a single piece of military equipment or weapon was left behind". The use of the term "withdrawal", which the Russian army is doing under the onslaught of the Ukrainian offensive, is strictly avoided.
Ukrainian intelligence services warn that there are still Russian soldiers in the city.
Ukrainian flags fly in the Kherson region
Ukrainian forces pushed back Russian troops and established control in more than 40 districts around the city of Kherson, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky announced in his regular video address on Thursday evening and said that "the number of Ukrainian flags returned to their rightful place as part of the defense operation already counts in tens".
Zelensky warned that Russian forces had left behind "thousands of unexploded bombs and pieces of ammunition" and that "about 170.000 square kilometers of land are covered with mines."
image (14)Ukrainian offensive / Photo: AP Photo/LIBKOS
Reuters reported, citing Ukrainian military analysts and commentators, that on Thursday evening there were indications that Ukrainian forces were closing in on the city of Kherson, after Russia announced the withdrawal of its troops from the west bank of the Dnieper near Kherson, the only regional capital Moscow has captured. since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine on February 24.
Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said in an interview with Reuters on Thursday that it would take "at least seven days for Russia to withdraw from the city." The Russians still have 40.000 soldiers in the region, and intelligence data show that their forces remain in and around the city, Reznikov said.
Kherson province is one of four Ukrainian regions annexed by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the end of September, which most countries have condemned as an illegal act.
JH/FoNet/CNN
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