A Russian soldier in Kherson
(Picture: AP)The Russian-installed chief of the southern occupied Ukrainian region of Kherson on Tuesday said some civilians would be evacuated, claiming it was because of the was the risk of an attack by Kyiv’s forces.
In a video statement, Vladimir Saldo said people in four towns would be moved away from the Dnipro river, given the risk that Ukrainian shelling could damage a nearby dam.
Russia has claimed its forces have battled oncoming Ukraine troops to a standstill in the country’s south and inflicted “significant losses”.
Ukraine’s presidential office said Moscow’s military shelled towns and villages along the front line in the east and “active hostilities” continued in the Kherson region.
Ukrainian army spokesman Oleksandr Shtupun said the Russians began the evacuation of “state institutions” from the Kherson region to Crimea. Shtupun said the Ukrainian army carried out 20 attacks over the past day.
Saldo previously urged Kherson citizens to “save themselves” by going to Russia for “leisure and study”, and asked for Moscow’s help.
His call was later backed up by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin in a message on state television.
Ukraine rejects accusations that it targets its own civilians.
Its troops have recently retaken some areas of north-western Kherson, closing in on the regional capital, Kherson city.
“The government took the decision to organise assistance for the departure of residents of the [Kherson] region to other regions of the country,” said Mr Khusnullin, who has special responsibility for southern Russia and Crimea.
“We will provide everyone with free accommodation and everything necessary.”
Kherson is located on the Black Sea and was one of the few major stratgeic cities seized by Russia in the invasion.
