Kherson ready to fight as Russian government withdraws

With Russian and Ukrainian troops apparently preparing to fight for the city of Kherson, signs of Kremlin rule are disappearing from the city’s streets, and the remaining residents, unsure of what to believe and afraid of what’s coming next, are Hoard food and fuel for survival battle.

Russian soldiers, patrols and checkpoints in the city center were suddenly extremely scarce, and most civilians left, according to residents. The Russian tricolor flag, which was raised over government offices after Moscow’s army captured Kherson in February, disappeared Thursday at the main regional administration building and other locations.

“On the one hand I’m happy to see this, but on the other hand I’m worried that there will be anarchy now,” said Kherson resident Oleksandr, who asked to withhold his surname for his own safety. “So I bought extra because I don’t know if it’s safe to move around the city in the next few days or weeks.”

Kremlin-appointed administrators have moved to a location 50 miles away after looting anything of value they could take, residents and Ukrainian officials said.

But Russian troops have yet to withdraw from the area. Russia has deployed about 40,000 troops to the west bank of the Dnieper to prevent Ukrainian forces from retaking Kherson, Ukrainian military intelligence said.

As Ukrainian troops advanced from the north and west, they encountered fierce resistance, and Ukrainian officials said they expected the fighting in the southern city to be brutal, as its loss would be a major strategic and symbolic loss for Russia.

Like Kherson, most of the east and south Ukraine The population has largely declined since the Russian invasion in February. More than 14 million people – about a third of the prewar population – were evicted from their homes.

Kherson fell in the first days of the invasion and was the only regional capital occupied by the Russians. Pro-Kremlin military bloggers expressed concern on Thursday, saying what they said suggested Russia may be preparing not only to withdraw its troops, but also to withdraw them militarily, ceding the city to the Ukrainians.

Ukrainian officials see the talk as a feint meant to lure their troops into a trap. In recent days, the Russians have been seen fortifying defensive positions outside the city.