Russian troops have been ordered to withdraw from the western bank of the Dnipro River in Ukraine's Kherson region.
In televised comments, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said it is no longer possible to supply Kherson city and other parts of the west bank, proposing instead that defensive lines be taken up on the river's eastern bank.
The announcement marks one of Russia's most significant retreats - Kherson city was seized by Russia early in the war and is the only regional capital the country has taken during the conflict, which is almost nine months old. The region was annexed in September, along with three other parts of Ukraine - Luhansk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia.
Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said a number of times that the return of all occupied territory is a condition for any peace talks with Russia. But Russia is unlikely to relinquish its claim to the four regions, or to Crimea, which it took in 2014.
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Ukraine war: Why is control of Kherson so important?Kherson, in southern Ukraine, is seen as a vital city for Ukraine to capture and for Russia to defend.
Read more »
Wagner boss brags to Russian media about ‘interference’ on eve of US midterm electionsVladimir Putin’s ally Yevgeny Prigozhin has claimed ongoing interference in US politics in a 'surgical attempt… to remove both kidneys and liver at once'
Read more »
FBI shrugs off Russian hacktivists' 'limited' DDoS successFBI: Russian hacktivists achieve only 'limited' DDoS success
Read more »
Keeping Ukraine from freezing this winterThe country is in a race against time, weather and Russian missiles
Read more »
Carrie-Anne Moss and Dafne Keen join new Star Wars show The AcolyteThe Matrix and His Dark Materials stars join new Star Wars show The Acolyte
Read more »