© Reuters. Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy speaks during a joint news conference with Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (not seen), as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine October 31, 2022. REUTERS/Viacheslav Ratynskyi
(Reuters) – Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu on Wednesday ordered his troops to withdraw from the west bank of the Dnipro River in the face of Ukrainian attacks near the southern city of Kherson, a significant retreat and potential turning point in the war.
FIGHTING, CONFLICT
* Russian General Sergei Surovikin, in overall command of the war, reported to Shoigu that it was no longer possible to keep Kherson city supplied. “Having comprehensively assessed the current situation, it is proposed to take up defence along the left (eastern) bank of the Dnipro River,” said Surovikin.
* The main bridge on a road out of Kherson was blown up. Reuters was able to verify the location of online images that showed the span of the Darivka bridge collapsed into the water of a tributary of the Dnipro River, though not how the bridge had been destroyed or by whom.
* Russian-installed authorities confirmed the death of Kirill Stremousov, deputy head of the Russian occupation administration in Kherson, saying he had been killed in a car crash.
* The focal points of the conflict in the industrial region of Donetsk are around the towns of Bakhmut, Soledar and Avdiivka, the theatre of the heaviest fighting since Russian forces invaded Ukraine in late February.
* Russian artillery hit more than 30 settlements in Khersonand Mykolaiv regions, and in Zaporizhzhia region theRussian-installed authorities were forcing residents to acceptRussian passports after seizing their Ukrainian documents, a Ukrainian military statement said.
* A Russian-installed mayor in the town of Snihurivka east of the southern city of Mykolaiv was cited by Russia’s RIA newsagency as saying on Tuesday that residents had seen Ukrainian tanks and that fierce fighting was going on.
Reuters was not able to verify the Ukrainian reports.
* Ukraine has received its first delivery of NASAMS and Apside air defence systems, its defence minister said.
DIPLOMACY
* Ukraine doubled down on its tough stance on negotiations with Russia, saying they could only resume once the Kremlin relinquishes all Ukrainian territory and that Kyiv would fight on even if it is “stabbed in the back” by its allies.
* A leading ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin met Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi on a trip to deepen trade and security cooperation, as Moscow looks to shore up its economy and bolster its war effort in Ukraine.
QUOTES
* “They won’t let me die in peace. I want to be able to die in peace at the end of my life,” said Mariia Lytvynova, 92, about Russian shelling of Novoolexandrivka, a village in the territory recaptured by Ukrainian troops last month.
Reuters
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