Kherson retreat could be ‘ambush to lure Ukraine in’

Russia’s televised announcement that it is retreating from the strategic city of Kherson ‘could be an ambush to lure Ukraine in’ and subject them to a nuclear missile strike, it has been claimed. Lucy Fisher, chief political commentator at The Times, joined Ukrainian officials in expressing scepticism at the histrionic manner in which Russia’s top commander and defence minister announced a retreat from a city that Putin said would ‘forever’ be Russian after it was captured at the start of the war. Ms Fisher said that while something has ‘clearly gone wrong for Russia’, the announcement made her ‘nervous’ because of how publicly it had been made. She warned that Putin could be offering a false sense of security to Ukraine’s Armed Forces as they encircle the city of Kherson, luring them before ‘trying to bomb them with low-yield tactical nuclear weapons’. Ms Fisher said: ‘Kherson is very important strategically. It is a port city and it is symbolically so important to Russia because it is the only major regional hub that they have managed to take in Ukraine that it did not have before. ‘That is the main gain, so to give it up is a really important turning point in the war but I am nervous to say that this is what it seems on the face of it. ‘It is all a bit too obvious. Sergei Shoigu, the defence minister, going on television and talking about the retreat, it does feel like it could be an ambush to lure Ukrainian forces in to try to bomb them with conventional weapons or even the fear of low-yield tactical nuclear weapons that there has been so much talk over, even Chinese President Xi has warned Putin not to use them, and you would think he would be bound by that.  Russian General Surovikin (L) and Shoigu (R) discuss retreating from Kherson in a televised meeting (Image: GETTY ) Lucy Fisher said she was “nervous” about the Kherson retreat announcement (Image: TIMES RADIO)’But clearly something has gone wrong here for the Russians. There is going to be huge retaliation after them withdrawing their forces. To me, it is just not clear exactly the state of play.’ Russia announced they would be withdrawing from the strategic city of Kherson, 150 kilometres north of Crimea, on Wednesday, after weeks of anticipation over the last battle before winter. In a televised meeting between Russia’s top commander General Sergei  Surovikin and defence minister Sergei Shoigu, the pair agreed an attempt to defend Kherson would be ‘futile’.They agreed instead to retreat and take up defensive lines on the eastern bank of the Dnipro river, which runs beneath Kherson, as General Surovikin acknowledged it was a ‘very difficult decision’.READ MORE: Russia have restored and built new trenches in Crimea [REVEAL]  Ukraine soldiers from 63 brigades have congregated in norther Kherson for an attack (Image: GETTY )The news of a Russian retreat has been met with widespread scepticism from Ukrainian officials given reports from earlier this month that plain-clothed Russian soldiers were secretly occupying evacuated flats and houses in the port city. An adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said their forces were ‘liberating territories based on intelligence data, not staged TV statements. Mykhailo Podolyak added: ‘Until the Ukrainian flag is flying over Kherson, it makes no sense to talk about a Russian withdrawal.’President Zelensky himself is also reportedly hesitant to take the Russian announcement of a retreat at face value. DON’T MISS: Putin’s defeat captured on video as Kherson commander announce retreat [VIDEO] Ukraine warned to concede a Crimea vote to avoid ‘very bloody battle’  [REPORT] Russian forces ordered to withdraw from Kherson city in Kyiv victory [REVEAL]  Zelensky adviser Mykhailo Podolyak slammed Russia’s “staged” announcement (Image: TWITTER )But Western officials appear less suspicious about the supposed retreat, with the highest ranking US military officer saying he ‘believes they are doing it’ and that Ukraine should use this as a ‘window of opportunity’ to reopen peace negotiations. Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, speaking at The Economic Club of New York on Wednesday, said ‘there has been a tremendous amount of human suffering’ during the war, with hundreds of thousands of soldiers killed, and as the winter approaches, it is an opportune time for peace. He said: ‘The initial indicators are they are in fact doing it. They made the public announcement they’re doing it. I believe they’re doing it in order to preserve their force to reestablish defensive lines south of the (Dnieper) river, but that remains to be seen.’ Given Russia has said it is open to talks after months of silence, and General Milley said Ukraine should take advantage of that and the retreat. But for negotiations to have a chance, both Russia and Ukraine would have to reach a ‘mutual recognition’ that a military victory ‘is maybe not achievable through military means, and therefore you need to turn to other means,’ Milley said, citing the end of World War I as an example.READ NEXT: ‘Major humiliation for Russia’s military’ Putin hands Ukraine ‘boost’Russian-installed ‘deputy head’ of Kherson region killedPutin shifting to desperate three-pronged attack strategy in Ukraine Russia reporter dismisses propagandist as Putin forces advance 3cm Russian soldier admits Moscow ‘blowing up ammunition’ in Kherson