Russia Orders Troop Withdrawal behind Dnieper River

Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu has ordered to start pulling out troops behind the Dnieper River, TASS reported on Wednesday. 

"Start withdrawing the troops and take all measures to ensure the safe relocation of the personnel, armaments, and hardware behind the Dnieper," the defense chief said.

Commander of Russia’s Integrated Group of Forces in Ukraine Sergey Surovikin pointed out that defense along the Dnieper barrier frontier is the most expedient option of operations in the zone of the special military operation.

"If the Kyiv regime resorts to a larger water discharge from reservoirs or a more powerful rocket attack on the Kakhovka dam, this will create a flow of water flooding vast areas and causing civilian casualties," Surovikin noted.

He added: "A further threat for civilians and of complete isolation of our group of forces on the right bank of the Dnieper will emerge. Under these conditions, it is expedient to organize the defense along the barrier frontier of the Dnieper River."

The commander affirmed that they will preserve the lives of their servicemen, calling it the most important thing.

"For us the life and health of Russian servicemen is always a priority. We must also take into account the threat for the civilian population," the defense chief emphasized.