US prevented Ukraine from destroying occupiers during their withdrawal from Kherson

According to journalist Bob Woodward's book "War", Russia threatened to use nuclear weapons in the event of heavy losses among its troops, which prompted the US to pressure Ukraine to allow Russian forces to withdraw from Kherson without significant casualties.

Nuclear threat and US position

During the Ukrainian Armed Forces' operation to liberate Kherson in autumn 2022, US intelligence reported a high risk of nuclear escalation by Russia. According to Woodward, the probability of nuclear weapon use was assessed at 50% in the event of significant losses for the Russian army.

Former Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley contacted Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces Valery Gerasimov. During this communication, the Russian general allegedly warned that Moscow was ready to use nuclear weapons if it faced massive losses.

Pressure on Kyiv

Fearing to provoke a nuclear strike, the US insisted that the Ukrainian army refrain from attacking retreating Russian forces. According to anonymous US officials, this allowed Russian troops numbering approximately 30,000, along with their equipment, to cross the Dnipro calmly.

The Ukrainian Armed Forces' plan involved pursuing retreating units and delivering massive strikes, however, under US pressure, these actions were cancelled. Instead of active combat operations, Ukrainian troops simply observed the enemy's withdrawal.

Consequences of the decision

In the author's view, such actions were the result of "security guarantees" provided by the US to the Russian side to avoid conflict escalation. The journalist emphasises that this decision provoked an ambiguous reaction among Ukrainian leadership and society.