State-of-the-art artillery and reconnaissance, along with a brilliant attrition strategy by the Ukrainians, led to victory. A perfect lesson in smart warfare.
You could sense General Sergei Surovikin’s reluctance. “After a comprehensive assessment of the situation, I propose to move the defense to the left bank of the Dnipro,” said the Russian Supreme Commander in Ukraine. “Leaving troops in a limited area on the other side has no perspective.” The 56-year-old reported on Wednesday to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Moscow that it was shown live on TV. Less than two days later, the Ukrainian army took the remains of the Russian Trans-Dnipro bridge and the city of Kherson without a fight. The last of the Russians disappeared on a floating bridge over the Dnipro in the early hours of Friday.
Admitting defeat is never pleasant. Especially when, like Surovikin, you’ve only been in office for two months. But that might be irrelevant. Instead, defeat is militarily extremely bitter. It seems paradoxical, but in fact the Russians did not lose the battle for Kherson: the Ukrainians managed to recapture some areas at the beginning of their counteroffensive in late August and others in early October. But the Russian lines held out and probably would have held out longer.