Putin's defense chief orders retreat in Kherson, the first major Ukrainian city Russian forces captured, in new battlefield humiliation

• Russian forces are retreating from positions in Kherson, a major city in Ukraine.
• Kherson was the first major city and the only regional capital Russian forces captured after the invasion in February.

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced on Wednesday that he was ordering Russian forces in Kherson to retreat across the Dnieper River, marking one of the most significant setbacks for Russia in the Ukraine war so far. Kherson was the first major city and the only regional capital captured by Russia following the onset of the invasion in February.

The call, to retreat came after a period of intense fighting, with Ukrainian forces gradually making advances toward the city. The Ukrainian counteroffensive saw Russia move to relocate 100,000 of the city's residents.

"I understand that this is a very difficult decision, but at the same time we will preserve the most important thing — the lives of our servicemen and, in general, the combat effectiveness of the group of troops, " Gen. Sergei Surovikin, the top commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, said in televised remarks alongside Shoigu, per Reuters.

"I agree with your conclusions and proposals," Shoigu said in response. "For us, the life and health of Russian servicemen is always a priority. We must also take into account the threats to the civilian population. Proceed with the withdrawal of troops and take all measures to ensure the safe transfer of personnel, weapons and equipment across the Dnipro River."

—max seddon (@maxseddon) November 9, 2022

Russian President Vladimir Putin was absent from the televised meeting with Shoigu and Surovkin, perhaps as part of an effort to distance himself from the embarrassing development.

Oleksiy Arestovych, an advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said in a tweet that Russian forces weren't "leaving" Kherson but were "KNOCKED out" of the city with "heavy battles." Ukrainian forces "methodically gnawed through the enemy's defenses," Arestovych said.

As Russian forces move to withdraw, Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of blowing up bridges in an attempt to slow Ukraine's advance.

Kherson is the capital of a region in southern Ukraine known as the Kherson oblast and an area that Putin recently annexed in an illegal move decried around the world. The Russian retreat from Kherson underscores the tenuous nature of the so-called annexations, given Moscow's forces do not fully control or occupy the Ukrainian regions the Kremlin now claims as part of Russia. Putin made veiled nuclear threats in announcing the annexations, vowing to defend Russia's land "with all the powers and means at our disposal."

Controlling Kherson is considered crucial to Putin's goal of creating a land bridge from Russia to Crimea, the Ukrainian territory he illegally annexed in 2014.

"Very impressive and hard fought victory for Ukraine," Rob Lee, a military analyst, said in a tweet. "The big question now is whether Russia can withdraw without taking heavy equipment and personnel losses. Ukraine has every incentive to make this withdrawal as chaotic and costly as possible," he added.

Lee said this also stands as one of the reasons why a "ceasefire is not in Ukraine's interests," adding that Ukrainian forces have military advantages at present as Russia vies to train and equip recently mobilized soldiers and obtain arms from Iran.

"Further Ukrainian gains make it more likely this war ends sooner," he said.