Russia 'abandons 20,000 troops' near Kherson

Russia 'abandons 20,000 troops' near Kherson
Russia has abandoned 20,000 troops near Kherson in the face of a Ukrainian counter-attack, the regional governor has claimed.

Vitaly Kim said Russia is relocating command posts on the west bank of the Dnipro River to the east, leaving 'stupid orcs' - his term for Kremlin soldiers - behind.
'I feel just a bit sorry - but not much - for the stupid orcs who had been abandoned on the right bank of the Dnipro,' he wrote on Telegram.

'All of the commanders are moving to the other side.'

Kherson was captured by Russian forces back in March, as Putin's troops stormed out of occupied Crimea and captured swathes of Ukraine's south.

It is a strategically important city as it spans the Dnipro River - which divides Ukraine in two - and sits close to the Black Sea coast, which connects Ukraine to valuable sea trading routes.

The city also has huge symbolic value, because it is the only regional capital to have been captured by Putin's forces during the invasion.

Ukraine announced plans for a counter-attack in the region last month, before blowing up two road bridges - the Antonovsky Bridge in Kherson and Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric dam bridge - using HIMARS rockets.

Both have been struck several times, including again at the weekend, with British intelligence saying they are now likely impassable to most vehicles.

'Even if Russia manages to make significant repairs to the bridges, they will remain a key vulnerability,' the Ministry of Defence said.

'Ground resupply for the several thousand troops on the west bank is almost certainly reliant on just two pontoon ferry crossing points.