High-profile Kremlin loyalists voiced support for the militarys decision to withdraw from the strategic southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on Wednesday, the latest major reversal for Russia's embattled offensive in Ukraine.Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered to pull troops out of Kherson and set up defenses on the left bank of the Dnipro River after Russias commander in Ukraine, Gen.
Sergei Surovikin, told him in a televised meeting that supplying the right bank was no longer feasible.Margarita Simonyan, the head of the state-funded RT network, said the retreat was a necessary move to avoid exposing Russian troops on the right bank of the Dnipro and "opening the way to Crimea for Ukraines forces.Shecompared the retreat to Gen.
Mikhail Kutuzovs 1812 withdrawal from Moscow as Napoleons troops invaded Russia.Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Kremlin-linked founder of the Wagner mercenary group, said the extremely difficult task of withdrawing troops with minimal losses would be the greatest achievement that Surovikin will have to accomplish.It doesnt do the Russian army justice, but it emphasizes the commanders personal qualities, Prigozhins press service wrote on social media, praising Surovikin for not being afraid of responsibility and taking the full weight of the decision.Chechen strongman Ramzan Kadyrov voiced full agreement with Prigozhin,calling the recently appointed commanders decision "difficult but fair.Surovikin both spares his soldiers and takes a more advantageous, comfortable and safe strategic position, Kadyrov wrote in a post on the Telegram messaging app.All three figures previouslycriticized the Russian militarys defeat in Lyman, a key supply hub for Russian forces in eastern Ukraine before Kyivs troops recaptured it last month.Despite their praise for Surovikin, Prigozhin and Kadyrov still raised doubts over Russias military decision-making.Kadyrov asked why ensuring supplies to Kherson wasnt done from the start, while Prigozhin said the military should understand whos right, whos wrong and what the problem is."Its important not to agonize, not to thrash around in paranoia, but to draw conclusions and work on mistakes," Prigozhin said.Their reactions followedreports by the independent media outlet Meduza that the Kremlin has ordered state media to avoid quoting officials who criticize Russias campaign in Ukraine.Russian state media characterized the Kherson announcement as a maneuver or regrouping rather than a retreat.Leading state television host Vladimir Solovyovcalled it a difficult decisionbut brave in his evening program, adding:Trust the generals.Sergei Mironov, another vocal supporter of Russias invasion who heads the minority A Just Russia party in the lower house of parliament,lamented Khersons loss in a tweet and vowed retribution and the citys recapture.Popular Russian pro-war bloggers voiced similar reactions, with onesaying this betrayal is carved in my heart for centuries and anotherwriting it will leave a scar on my heart.Others slammed Russias military command for beingmisled by false reports andrelying on idiotic war planning based on disinformation.President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, stayed silent on the announced pullback as hetoured a hospital, met the head of Russias national public health institute and spoke at an event commemorating its 75th anniversary.Kherson city was the first urban hub captured by Russia during its "special military operation" and the only regional capital to be controlled by Moscow's forces since its offensive began on Feb.
24.Kherson was one of four Ukrainian regions that Russia declared it had annexed in September, shortly after being forced to withdraw from swaths of territory in the northeastern Kharkiv region.AFP contributed reporting.