Moscow has ordered its troops out of the strategic southern Ukrainian city of Kherson in a major setback for Vladimir Putin’s regime, while a senior US general has estimated that Russia has suffered more than 100,000 dead and wounded since the invasion began.

Ukrainian infantrymen on the front line, Kherson regionPhoto: Jose Hernandez / Shutterstock / Profimedia

The main thing for Thursday, the 260th day of the war in Ukraine, TEXT OF THE LIVE MODE:

A quick morning recap of Thursday’s latest events:

  • NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed the “encouraging” news from Kherson, adding that Putin had made “several huge and strategic mistakes.” Biden said that Russia’s withdrawal from Kherson is evidence that the Russians have “some real problems.” Zelenskyi said that his country “will move very carefully, without emotions, without unnecessary risks.”
  • The head of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, said that he supports the decision of the Ministry of Defense of Russia to withdraw troops from part of the Kherson region.
  • A top American general estimated that the Russian military had more than 100,000 soldiers killed or wounded in Ukraine, and added that Kyiv’s armed forces “probably” suffered a similar level of casualties in the war.
  • Russian General Serhiy Surovikin, who led the war, reported to Shoigu that it was no longer possible to hold the city of Kherson and that his troops should move to the left (eastern) bank of the Dnieper.
  • One of the most important Russian officials in Ukraine, Kyrylo Stremousov, died in a road accident, which was another blow to Moscow in the south of the Kherson region.
  • Russian artillery shelled more than 30 settlements in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, and in the Zaporizhia region, the authorities installed by Russia are forcing residents to accept Russian passports after seizing Ukrainian documents from them, the Kyiv military said.
  • President Joe Biden said he expects U.S. aid to Ukraine to continue uninterrupted, despite skepticism from Republicans who appear poised to take control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
  • UN officials will meet with a high-ranking Russian delegation in Geneva on Friday to discuss the extension of the Black Sea export agreement with Ukraine and efforts to optimize the supply of Russian food and fertilizers to world markets.
  • A key ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on a trip to deepen trade and security cooperation.
  • Ukraine’s Economy Minister Yuliya Syvridenko said Russia’s destruction of civilian infrastructure would increase the expected decline in gross domestic product to 39 percent, compared to a previous forecast of a 35 percent decline.
  • Volodymyr Solovyov, who is considered a favorite propagandist of President Putin, began to criticize Russian conscripts who complain about their commanders and conditions in the army.
  • A new video shows a Russian army convoy completely destroyed by a Ukrainian attack, with footage shot by the Russians themselves as they drive through what’s left of the fighting vehicles.

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  • Wednesday’s events were broadcast live on HotNews.ro