Ukrainian officials acknowledged that Russian troops had no choice but to flee a key southern city but stopped short of declaring victory in Kherson on Thursday even after Moscow said it began a retreat that would represent a humiliating defeat in the grinding war.
It was difficult to know what was happening in the strategic port city, from which tens of thousands have fled in recent weeks. Some Western observers, including the highest-ranking U.S. military officer, said they believed the Kremlin's forces have been forced to pull out — though a full withdrawal could take some time.
