Is Russia Abandoning Kherson? Why the city matters ➡️ #Kherson #Russia #Ukraine #FYP #News #StemDrop001 Following reports of Russia evacuating civilians from the city of Kherson last week (10/19/22), rumors emerged that the Russian military would follow suit. Now, however, those rumors have been called into question. Speaking to the BBC, Ukrainian war spokesman Oleksii Arestovych said there were no signs of the Russian military planning a withdrawal from Kherson—in fact, quite the opposite. Russians are instead bringing in reinforcements to the city to defend it. Kherson is a strategically important city in the Russia-Ukraine war. As a gateway to Crimea, the city is imperative for Russian advances in the south of Ukraine, particularly along the Black Sea coast towards Odesa, and Russian control of the city is a prerequisite to ensuring fresh water access for Crimea. For Ukraine, recapturing one of its largest, most populous, and economically viable cities would mark a milestone in its counteroffensive efforts, while also opening up the possibility of reclaiming Crimea later in the war. Whether Russia will end up fighting for the city, and what the outcome of such a battle would be, remains to be seen.