EXPLAINER: How important is a Russian retreat from Kherson?


Russia's withdrawal from Kherson is a strategic victory for Ukraine. Not only was this the only regional capital captured by Russian forces in its eight-month invasion, it sets the stage for Ukraine's advance into Zaporizhzhia while shattering Russia's hopes of advancing to Mykolaiv and Odesa.
Russia's withdrawal from Kherson was the correct decision to take. Its position there was no longer tenable and it was the right move in order to protect the lives of servicemen who were at risk of being cut off.
There is a 55% chance that more than 150,000 people will be killed in the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2022, according to the Metaculus prediction community.