Ukraine's offensives in both the Kharkiv and Kherson regions have continued to gain ground in recent weeks, as Ukraine seeks to maintain the initiative prior to the arrival of more Russian reinforcements following Moscow's partial military mobilization. Ukraine's primary focus for the foreseeable future will be in the Kherson region, where speculation is growing that Ukrainian forces could retake territory up to the Dnieper River sooner than expected following local Russian occupation authorities' Oct. 13 announcement that they will evacuate civilians from the western bank of the river. If Ukraine recaptures Kherson, it would open the door for Kyiv to push south toward Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, and it would be a major political setback for the Russian government. Russia annexed Kherson in September without clarifying exactly where borders would be set; Ukraine and most of the international community have rejected that annexation.
