The commander of the United Group of Russian Forces, Sergey Surovikin, said in a report to Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu that the situation in the special operation zone had stabilized.

According to him, the Ukrainian army lost more than 9,500 people killed and wounded between August and September, RIA Novosti reported.

At the same time, in the Kherson direction the enemy is hitting local government facilities, schools, hospitals and other socially important objects. "Kherson and adjacent settlements cannot be fully supplied and function, people's lives are constantly in danger," he said. According to him, more than 115,000 people were able to be evacuated from the region.

According to him, the losses of Russian troops in the Kherson direction are 7-8 times less than the losses of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). "As you know, the offensive side incurs greater losses than the one on the defensive. In this case, our losses are 7-8 times less than those of the enemy. We think first of all about the lives of every Russian serviceman."

Surovikin stressed that the AFU continues shelling the Kakhovka dam - this could provoke flooding and cause significant casualties. "It is advisable to organize the defense along the barrier line of the Dnieper River, along its left bank," he said.

"The decision to defend on the left bank of the Dnieper is not easy, at the same time we will save the lives of our military and the combat effectiveness of the group of troops."

He noted that the situation in the area of special operations had stabilized, the combat capabilities of the combined grouping and forces had significantly increased, the combat staff had been increased at the expense of mobilized troops, and reserves had been created. In some directions Russian troops resumed offensive actions, but despite the high losses in manpower and hardware, the enemy does not abandon offensive attempts, all its attacks are suppressed in a timely manner.

The defense minister agreed with Surovikin's suggestion. "Proceed with the withdrawal of troops and take all measures to ensure the safe transfer of personnel, weapons and equipment across the Dnieper River," Shoigu said.