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EXPLAINER: What would retreat from Kherson mean for Russia?

FILE - Evacuees from Kherson gather upon their arrival at the railway station in Dzhankoi, Crimea, on Oct. 21, 2022. Russian authorities, who initially dismissed talk of evacuating the city, sharply changed course this week, warning that Kherson could come under massive Ukrainian shelling and encouraging residents to leave — but only to Russian-held areas. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. (AP Photo, File) FILE - A woman hods her child as other evacuees from Kherson gather upon their arrival at the railway station in Dzhankoi, Crimea, on Oct. 21, 2022. Russian authorities, who initially dismissed talk of evacuating the city, sharply changed course this week, warning that Kherson could come under massive Ukrainian shelling and encouraging residents to leave — but only to Russian-held areas. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. (AP Photo, File) FILE - Evacuees from Kherson gather upon their arrival at the railway station in Dzhankoi, Crimea, on Oct. 21, 2022. Russian authorities, who initially dismissed talk of evacuating the city, sharply changed course this week, warning that Kherson could come under massive Ukrainian shelling and encouraging residents to leave — but only to Russian-held areas. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. (AP Photo, File) FILE - Ukrainian servicemen check the trenches dug by Russian soldiers in a retaken area in Kherson region, Ukraine, on Oct. 12, 2022. During the summer, Ukrainian troops launched relentless attacks to reclaim parts of the province, also called Kherson and one of four regions that Russia illegally annexed after sham referendums last month. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File) FILE - Ukrainian servicemen of "Fireflies" reconnaissance team jump from the trunk of pickup to take their position at the frontline in Mykolaiv region, Ukraine, Aug. 8, 2022. During the summer, Ukrainian troops launched relentless attacks to reclaim parts of the province, also called Kherson and one of four regions that Russia illegally annexed after sham referendums last month. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka, File) FILE - A view of buildings of local resort destroyed following recent Russian missile attacks in Odesa region, Ukraine, on Aug. 18, 2022. During the summer, Ukrainian troops launched relentless attacks to reclaim parts of the province, also called Kherson and one of four regions that Russia illegally annexed after sham referendums last month. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. (AP Photo/Nina Lyashonok, File) FILE - Russian President Vladimir Putin, second right, gestures as he visits with Deputy Commander of the Airborne Troops Anatoly Kontsevoy, right, a military training centre of the Western Military District for mobilised reservists in Ryazan Region, Russia, on Oct. 20, 2022. Moscow after a string of battlefield defeats and other setbacks, further cornering Russian President Vladimir Putin and setting the stage for an escalation. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. (Mikhail Klimentyev, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP, File) FILE - In this handout photo taken from video released by Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Oct. 18, 2022, Surovikin, the newly appointed Russian commander in Ukraine, appeared to set the stage for a possible withdrawal from Kherson, acknowledging the situation in the region was "quite difficult" for Moscow and noting that the combat situation there was still evolving. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP, File) FILE - Flame and smoke rise from Crimean Bridge connecting Russian mainland and Crimean peninsula over the Kerch Strait, in Kerch, Crimea, on Oct. 8, 2022. Gen. Sergei Surovikin, who was put in charge of Russian troops in Ukraine, has become the face of Russia's new strategy _ the relentless strikes on the country's vital infrastructure that followed an attack on a strategic bridge to Crimea. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. (AP Photo, File) FILE - Soldiers load a High-Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS ) from a US Special Operations MC-130J aircraft during military exercises at Spilve Airport in Riga, Latvia, Monday, Sept. 26, 2022. Ukraine has used U.S.-supplied HIMARS rocket launchers to repeatedly hit a key bridge on the Dnieper in Kherson and a large dam upstream also used as a crossing point. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov, File) FILE - Russian troops patrol an area at the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Station, a run-of-river power plant on the Dnieper River in Kherson region, south Ukraine, on May 20, 2022. Moscow has warned that Ukraine may try to attack the dam at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant about 50 kilometers (30 miles) upstream and flood broad areas, including the city of Kherson. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. This photo was taken during a trip organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense. (AP Photo, File) FILE - Russian soldiers guard an area as a group of foreign journalists visit in Kherson, Kherson region, south Ukraine, May 20, 2022. The southern city of Kherson was the first to fall to Russia's invasion. But Kherson remains at the heart of the conflict and Ukraine's efforts to save its vital access to the sea. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. This photo was taken during a trip organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense. (AP Photo, File) FILE - A Russian soldier guards an administrative area of Khersonvodokanal (water channel) in Kherson, Kherson region, south Ukraine, Friday, May 20, 2022. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. This photo was taken during a trip organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense. (AP Photo, File) FILE - A young couple walks past a Russian soldier guarding an area at the Alley of Glory exploits of the heroes - natives of the Kherson region, who took part in the liberation of the region from the Nazi invaders, in Kherson, Kherson region, south Ukraine, Friday, May 20, 2022, with a replica of the Victory banner marking the 77th anniversary of the end of World War II right in the background. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. This photo was taken during a trip organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense. (AP Photo, File) FILE - Russian troops guard an entrance of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Station, a run-of-river power plant on the Dnieper River in Kherson region, south Ukraine, on May 20, 2022. Moscow has warned that Ukraine may try to attack the dam at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant about 50 kilometers (30 miles) upstream and flood broad areas, including the city of Kherson. Ukrainian forces pressing an offensive in the south have zeroed in on Kherson, a provincial capital that has been under Russian control since the early days of the invasion. This photo was taken during a trip organized by the Russian Ministry of Defense. (AP Photo, File)