Ukraine: The Kherson Retreat

[mindlight]

Ukraine war: Russia to evacuate civilians from Kherson

Putin has raised the idea of withdrawing civilians from Kherson on the West bank of the Dnieper. The situation is that Ukraine is advancing and with the cutting of bridges and ferry links logistical supply of the city and its area is a growing problem.

Why?

1) Is this a human shield operation covering his troops retreating from an untenable position and a sign of Putin doubling down on defensible positions for the Winter?
2) Is this an effort to divert all the supplies over there into the hands of the military by removing the civilian need for them so that the troops can fight there longer?
3) Is he about to use tactical nukes on the advancing Ukrainian forces?
4) He is being forced into.

 

[ValeriyK2022]

These are both human shields and people who can then be mobilized. When Ukrainian troops enter Kherson, it can be bombed just as mercilessly as Mariupol.

And this is a copy of Ukraine's effective actions to evacuate its population. Back in December 2021, when no one knew whether Russia would attack, decisions were made in the border regions of Russia on forced evacuation. So it could be training.

As for nuclear weapons, Kherson is too close to Crimea. It is dangerous for Crimeans (water in Krym is from Kherson region). And Russia doesn't know for sure if Ukraine has a secret nuclear weapon to strike back. After all, under the USSR, Ukraine participated in its manufacture. Therefore, it is unlikely to risk running into an answer.

 

[7thKeeper]

Related to this I've seen some of the best/worst/most hilarous propaganda from Russia. There was an interview with a Russian official from Kherson who said that there was no evacuation, but that they were planning on sending the people on vacation.

 

[ValeriyK2022]

Russia has hit Ukraine with a wave of attacks, dive-bombing the capital, Kyiv, with what appear to be Iranian-made "kamikaze" drones.

Critical infrastructure was hit in the Kyiv, Dnipro and Sumy regions, with electricity cut in hundreds of towns and villages, the government says.

At least eight people were killed, four in Kyiv and four in Sumy.

 

[mindlight]

Or the Russians plan to allow the evacuation of what is increasingly an untenable position and then when the last troops have left break a dam upstream and flood the Ukrainians out of the city.