There remains an element of uncertainty about Moscow’s exact plans. While Russian troops had “both the intention and the ability to withdraw,” they may still decide not to implement the withdrawal, said one of the officials, who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. Meanwhile, a Russian official in Kherson said Moscow would “likely” pull its troops from the west bank of the Dnieper river to the east bank – even as Ukrainian officials warned that Russian troops could set up a trap, signaling a withdrawal. Here’s the latest on the war and its effects around the world.
- From our correspondents Why Putin Will Fight for Kherson: Freshwater and Land Bridge to Crimea. Here in the muddy coastal region of Kherson, soldiers are preparing for what could become the biggest battle of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine and perhaps the best test of whether Moscow will end up gaining any significant territory from its invasion or will be forced to retreat empty-handed. Ukrainian officials have indicated that an attack on the city of Kherson may be imminent. Russia, however, has shown no sign that it is willing to give up the city or the wider Kherson region, which is of huge strategic and political importance to the Kremlin, The Post’s Michael Miller writes.
