to go back one step to go ten steps further. still, it does feel like vladimir putin has been trying to distance himself from what many see as a setback. as the retreat was being announced, putin was shown visiting a brain research centre. he thought his military operation in ukraine would last days, not months. but it hasn t gone to plan. there is also growing confusion over his objectives in this war. and since the kremlin had insisted that occupied kherson would be russian forever, the retreat is a blow to moscow. russia s retreat from kherson creates a danger for vladimir putin. it risks changing how he s perceived here at home. not so much by the russian public, but by the russian elite, by the people around him, the people in power here, who for years have
insisted that occupied kherson would be russian forever, the retreat is a blow to moscow. russia s retreat from kherson creates a danger for vladimir putin. it risks changing how he s perceived here at home. not so much by the russian public, but by the russian elite, by the people around him, the people in power here, who for years have viewed putin as a great strategist, a winner. less so now. and the mood on the streets? of course we ll win the war, he says. when have russians ever lost? i really hope that russian soldiers will come back and vladimir putin will leave his post and ukraine and russia will be free from this dictator. for now, the russian public is watching, waiting. ..to see where the kremlin s war goes from here. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow.