Russian state news agencies published, then abruptly retracted a news item suggesting Russian forces had ordered a tactical withdrawal in a location of intense fighting in southern Ukraine.
The incident, which occurred on November 13, comes amid growing reports of a significant Ukrainian military operation, with forces crossing the Dnieper River east of the city of Kherson, establishing at least two bridgeheads, and for several weeks now, holding out against Russian pushback.
"The story with the headline 'The Dnieper Group Of Troops Will Be Transferred To More Advantageous Positions' has been canceled," RIA wrote at 11 a.m. Moscow time on its website, just 10 minutes after the report was issued.
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The text of the canceled story read, "Having assessed the current situation, the command of the Dnieper group decided to transfer troops to more advantageous positions east of the Dnieper. After regrouping, the group will liberate part of the forces to be used in offensives in other directions.”
TASS also announced the cancelation of a similar story.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on the withdrawal of the reports by the the two news agencies.
But Russian news site RBK quoted the Defense Ministry as saying the report of a withdrawal was "false" and amounted to a "provocation."
The language used in the canceled stories was similar to that used in announcing previous Russian troop retreats last year from the Moscow-occupied Kharkiv and Kherson regions in the face of surprise Ukrainian attacks.
Since the middle of October, Ukrainian forces have been engaged in a bold effort to pull off a major crossing of the Dnieper River.
Ukrainian troops last year managed to force a Russian withdrawal from territories west of the Dnieper River, but Russian troops have dug in and continue to pound the city of Kherson and other Ukrainian positions from across the river.
The story retractions suggest confusion among the Russian authorities and media about how to deal with the frontline developments in southern Ukraine.
The American Institute for the Study of War on November 13 reported that Ukrainian forces achieved over the past days "minor success" in operations launched on the left bank of the River Dnieper in parts of the southern region of Kherson that are still under Russian control.
In November last year, Ukrainian forces liberated parts of Kherson, including Kherson city, which lies on the western bank of the Dnieper.
Elsewhere, fighting has picked up in Ukraine's eastern regions of Kharkiv and Donetsk, with more than 70 close-quarter battles fought by Ukrainian forces in the Kupyansk, Bakhmut, and Avdiyivka directions, the General Staff of Ukraine's military said early on November 13.
Russian troops have been attempting for several weeks to encircle the industrial city of Avdiyivka, but have met fierce Ukrainian resistance. Meanwhile, the Institute or the Study of War reported that Ukrainian forces achieved over the past days "minor success" in operations launched on the left bank of the River Dnieper in Russian-occupied parts of the Kherson region.