Ukraine will liberate rest of Kherson region on Dnipro’s right bank — Pentagon head

US Defense Minister Lloyd Austin expressed confidence that Ukrainian troops can retake the russian-occupied right bank of the Kherson region, including the administrative center.

Austin said this at a press conference on Thursday, EP reports.

"Regarding the question of whether the Ukrainians can seize the rest of the territory of the Kherson region on the right bank of the Dnipro: I certainly believe that they are capable of doing it. And the most important thing is that the Ukrainians believe they are capable of doing it," the Pentagon head said.

"We know they have resorted to methodical and extremely effective efforts to regain their sovereign territory. I think they will continue the pressure in the future until they establish control over the territory on the right bank of the river," he added.

So far, high-ranking American officials have tried to avoid such optimistic assessments regarding the counteroffensive of Ukrainian forces in the Kherson region, which has been ongoing since September. They sounded against the background of statements about the evacuation of the civilian population and russian troops from the Kherson Region's right bank.