Retreat from Kherson is gigantic humiliation for Russian military akin to their withdrawal from Afghanistan - US diplomat

The former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Bryza shared his take on Russia’s war against Ukraine on the air of Espreso TV channel.

"Now the forces have, as we all know, withdrawn from Kherson city, they're on the east side of Dnipro, and it's a gigantic humiliation for the Russian military akin to their withdrawal from Afghanistan. And they are not going to be winning there, they are not going to be winning in Donbas where Ukraine has also been constantly pushing Russians back. Russia has lost a war period. So the question is how badly does Russia wish to lose. I interpret the Russian defensive formations on the left bank of Dnipro as defensive not just to protect themselves, but to protect Crimea from losing it to a Ukrainian offensive,” Bryza said.

The diplomat added that Putin has no more military options left as he cannot win this war.

“Militarily the situation is grim for Russia. All it can do is try to destroy Ukraine and inflict suffering on brave Ukrainians, thinking that they are going to bend and break and they are not. Ukrainian resolve is growing stronger with every attack, so Putin can do nothing. He tried to frighten us with the threat of nuclear war and director Burns went to Moscow and told him that it would really be a terrible idea and he stopped making those threats. So he has no more military options. He cannot win this war. He controls the Russian media, so he will be able to define whatever status the Russian military has at the end of this as victorious,” Bryza emphasized.