Ukrainian soldiers entrenched north of the Russian-held city of Kherson said there were indications the Russian troops could be preparing to abandon the defence of Kherson and retreat across the Dnipro River.

But despite those indications, they confirmed that the artillery and rocket fire from the Russian side was still intensive.

“The enemy impacts our positions with powerful attacks. The enemy constantly shells us with artillery,” said Nazar

Russian forces have started to retreat from the west bank of the Dnipro River in Ukraine's southern Kherson region.

Ukraine’s military command said that 2,000 Russian soldiers had been ordered to cover the retreat and Western analysts warned that Russia may blow up a dam 35 miles upstream from the city of Kherson to slow down the Ukrainian advance.

“The Russian withdrawal from western Kherson Oblast has begun,” the US-based Institute for the Study of War said. “Russian forces likely intend to continue that withdrawal over the next several weeks.”

Russia’s ministry of defence has not commented but in an interview last week Russia’s top commander in Ukraine said that “tough decisions” would have to be made.

Ukrainian artillery strikes have destroyed several bridges over the Dnipro river, making it increasingly hard for Russia to resupply its forces along the southern front and making the retreat cumbersome

Subscribe to The Telegraph with our special offer: just £1 for 3 months. Start your free trial now:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/customer/subscribe/digitalsub/3for1/?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_pvid_conversion-subscription_editorial-iniative_03-22_EGW-13_organic_youtube

Get the latest headlines: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/

Telegraph.co.uk and YouTube.com/TelegraphTV are websites of The Telegraph, the UK's best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.