Russian troops are withdrawing from the city of Kherson and surrounding areas in the south of Ukraine.

Russia’s top commander in Ukraine, General Sergei Surovikin said it is no longer possible to supply the city and other parts of the west bank of the Dnipro River that it lies on.

In televised comments, he said: “We will save the lives of our soldiers and fighting capacity of our units.

“Keeping them on the right (western) bank is futile.

“Some of them can be used on other fronts.”

Russia’s defence minister Sergei Shoigu responded by saying: “I agree with your conclusions and proposals.

“Proceed with the withdrawal of troops and take all measures to transfer forces across the river.”

The announcement marks one of Russia’s most significant retreats and another humiliating setback.

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Kherson city, which had a pre-war population of 280,000, was seized by Russia early in the war and it remains the only regional capital to have fallen.

Ukrainian troops launched attacks during the summer in an effort to take back parts of the province.

Mikhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said: “Ukraine does not pay attention to Russian statements – words and actions differ.”

Kherson region was annexed in September, along with three other parts of Ukraine – Luhansk, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia.

Mr Zelenskyy has said a number of times that the return of all occupied territory is a condition for any peace talks with Russia.

But Russia is unlikely to relinquish its claim to the four regions, or to Crimea, which it took in 2014.