Russian newspaper mistakenly reported that Moscow withdrew troops from southern Ukraine

Russian soldiers in Kherson province, southern Ukraine (Photo: TASS).

Two Russian state news agencies on November 13 published a statement from the Defense Ministry about the "regrouping" of forces on the left bank of the Dnipro River.

"After assessing the situation, the command of the Dnipro grouping decided to move its troops to more advantageous positions east of the Dnipro River," the two newspapers quoted the Russian military as saying. "After regrouping, the Dnipro grouping will reduce part of its forces. This part will be used for the offensive."

A few minutes later, the information disappeared from the social networking sites of TASS and RIA Novosti.

TASS said the story was removed because of a “misprint”. RIA did not comment on the matter.

Later, Russia's RBC website quoted the country's Defense Ministry as emphasizing: "The dissemination of a false news report allegedly quoting the press center of the Russian Defense Ministry talking about the "regrouping" of troops near Dnipro is a provocation."

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment on the announcement on the same day.

The National Resistance Center of Ukraine told RBC Ukraine that the information about the “regrouping” of Russian forces was an information campaign aimed at misleading Kiev. The center also said it had not received any information about “the movement of enemy soldiers.”

The Russian military sometimes uses the term “regrouping” to describe a battlefield withdrawal, such as when its troops completely withdrew from the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson in November 2022.

Moscow said on November 10 that it had prevented Ukraine from building a stronghold on the left bank of the Dnipro River, amid reports that Kiev's army had moved armored vehicles across the river.

On November 12, the US-based Institute for the Study of War said that Russian units deployed on the left bank of the Dnipro River "may be defending against larger-than-usual Ukrainian combat operations".

Kiev launched a major counter-offensive in the south and east in June but the front line barely moved.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/bao-nga-dua-nham-tin-moscow-rut-quan-khoi-mien-nam-ukraine-20231114123617625.htm