Ukraine: No reason to celebrate Russia’s tactical retreat from Kherson
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Although Ukraine has unfurled its flag in the eastern provincial capital of Kherson after the ‘retreat’ of the occupying Russian forces, it has no reason to celebrate this tactical withdrawal ahead of the freezing winter that would make supply lines to the invading army dysfunctional until the onset of spring in February.
Had not Russia withdrawn from Ukraine, its dwindling military would have been massacred by the Ukrainians in the coming weeks with little or no backup from Moscow possible.
In September, Russia illegally annexed four eastern regions of Ukraine after a stage-managed “referendum.”
Winter has always been the biggest protective shield for Russia against enemies. The Russians would simply retreat into their vast, uninhabited mainland, allowing the invaders to freeze themselves in the approaching snowfall and blizzards. Throughout history, the Russian winter completely wiped out several European armies, including those of Napoleon and Nazi Germany in the 19th and 20th centuries, respectively.
Clearly, Moscow did not want to have a taste of its own medicine!
And probably the Russian forces would return in full force in spring. For, President Vladimir Putin, who has staked all his forces, prestige, and power on the Ukrainian war, cannot afford to lose it, amid reports of his assassination attempts that have kept him away from the G20 Summit in Indonesia beginning next week.
Ukraine also knows this. That is why its response to the Russian withdrawal is subdued, but it offered Kyiv some relief from months of relentless war that began with the Russian invasion on February 24.
On Friday, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced that the retreat was complete and that all its forces and equipment were now on the Dnieper’s east bank.
Since June, the Ukrainian army has been using US-provided HIMARS missile systems to systematically attack and damage bridges over the Dnieper, the country’s longest river. This made it difficult, if not impossible, for Russian troops on the right or west bank, where Kherson was situated, to resupply, the media reported.
In contrast, fighting might intensify in the Donbas region, where Russia could divert its troops retreating from Kherson. This happened after Russia’s defeat in Kyiv, which helped them capture the cities of Severodonetsk and Lysychansk. The experience taught Ukraine not to celebrate prematurely.
