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‘The enemy did not bring us gifts’: Zelensky urges Ukrainians to ‘restrain’ as Putin orders Kherson to withdraw
Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukrainians to exercise “restraint” and caution after Russia ordered the withdrawal of troops from the key southern city of Kherson.
In his nightly address, the Ukrainian president warned that “the enemy will not bring us gifts” and suggested that Moscow’s retreat from Kherson could be a ruse to lure Ukrainian troops into fighting in the strategic city.
On Wednesday, Russia’s top commander in Ukraine said troops had been ordered to withdraw from Kherson because it was no longer possible to maintain supplies to the city.
Mr Zelensky said: “There is a lot of joy in the media today, and the reasons are clear. But our emotions have to be restrained – always in times of war.
“But you need to understand: No one runs away without strength. The enemy will not bring us gifts, no ‘good gestures’. We will fight all the way.”
Russia captured the region’s capital early in the war, and if confirmed, the withdrawal from Kherson would mark one of Moscow’s most significant retreats.
However, other Ukrainian officials and Western allies have also expressed doubts about the intentions behind Moscow’s statement and what it might mean.
Mikhailo Podoljak, an adviser to the Ukrainian president, said Kyiv did not see “any sign of Russia leaving the city entirely” and said the remarks “could be disinformation.”
Kherson is a major target for Moscow and Kyiv because of its major rivers and seaports – it is also the gateway to the Russian-occupied Crimea peninsula.
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