How important is Russia’s retreat in Kherson and what does it mean for Ukraine?

Ukrainian troops entered the key southern city of Kherson on Friday after Russia said it had withdrawn its troops.

Kherson had been occupied by Russian forces since March, but due to supply issues, the Kremlin said troops would withdraw from the west bank of the Dnipro River earlier this week.

On Friday, residents of the city welcomed Ukrainian forces back to the city in what was a huge blow to Vladimir Putin’s campaign.

What is the strategic importance of Kherson?

Kherson, which had a pre-war population of 280,000 fell into Moscow’s hands in the opening days of the war as Russian troops quickly pushed their attack north from the Crimean Peninsula — the region illegally annexed by the Kremlin in 2014.

The Kherson region was one of four where referendums were held by Russian forces, although these were widely discredited and not recognised by the West.

Not only is the city of the same name situated on the Dnipro River which bisects Ukraine, but it also lies near to the mouth of the Black Sea.It also sits at a point where Ukraine can cut off fresh water from the Dnipro to Crimea.Kyiv blocked those vital supplies after the Crimean Peninsula’s annexation, and President Putin mentioned the need to restore them as one reason behind his decision to invade Ukraine.Capturing Kherson would also set the stage for reclaiming the Russia-occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region and other areas in the south, and eventually pushing back into Crimea.