Russian occupation authorities in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine on Thursday asked Moscow to help evacuate civilians from the area as a Ukrainian counter-offensive advances through the area.
“We propose that all people in the Kherson region, if they wish, move to other regions to protect themselves from rocket attacks,” the head of the regional occupation administration, Vladimir Saldo, said on the Telegram platform.
“As I address the leadership of the country (Russia), I ask you to help organize this work,” he added: “We, the people of the Kherson region, know that Russia will not abandon its people” .
Saldo said the region was hit by an increasing number of rocket attacks, causing “serious damage”, and claimed civilian infrastructure was attacked.
Vladimir Saldo also stressed that those who left would go to Crimea.
This request comes a day after Kiev said it had recaptured five colonies in the Kherson region.
Last week, Ukraine, which announced its counter-offensive in the south in August, said it had recaptured more than 400 square kilometers in Kherson in less than a week.
Kherson is one of four Ukrainian regions that Moscow recently claimed to have annexed.
Located near Moscow-annexed Crimea, the city of Kherson was the first major Ukrainian city to fall to Russian forces after the Kremlin launched its attack on February 24.
Source: DN
