Ukrainian authorities accused Russia on Wednesday of “trying” to scare the residents of Kherson by organizing an evacuation of residents from this important city in southern Ukraine, located in the region of the same name and annexed by Moscow at the end of September.
“The Russians are trying to scare the people of Kherson with false reports about a bombing of the city by our army,” the head of the Ukrainian presidency, Andriï Yermak, accused on the social network Telegram.
To the Chief of Staff to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, the withdrawal of the population from Kherson is a “propaganda spectacle” […] That does not work”.
Russian occupation authorities in the Kherson region announced this Wednesday that, following the advance of Ukrainian troops, the withdrawal of civilians from the city has already begun, saying they plan to transfer more than 50,000 people.
“The organized transfer of residents to the other side of the [rio] Dnieper began in Kherson”, the head of the local occupation administration, Vladimir Saldo, also on the social network Telegram.
“The plan is to evacuate 50,000 to 60,000 people to the left bank of the Dnieper,” the river bordering the city of Kherson, he said.
The withdrawal, averaging 10,000 people a day, is expected to last six days, the official added, quoted by Russian news agencies.
According to the Ria-Novosti news agency, the pro-Russian administrator of the region, Yevgeny Melnikov, said people evacuated from the zone should be brought to Russia.
The news agency also reports that subscribers to local cell phone networks have received a text message asking them to leave before the next “Ukrainian army bombardment”.
Russian channel Rossia 24 also broadcast a report showing people evacuated from the region boarding ‘ferries’ to cross the river.
Russian General Sergey Surovikin, who is currently in charge of operations in Ukraine, said late Tuesday that the priority of the Russian military is to “ensure a safe evacuation of the population” from Kherson.
“More actions in the city of Kherson will depend on the military situation,” he said, without explaining that “it does not rule out a very difficult decision.”
Russia has decided to withdraw the population from Kherson, where Moscow’s troops are in a particularly “tense” situation due to the Kiev counter-offensive.
Sergei Surovikin admitted that the situation remains “very difficult” for Russian forces in the southern region and in the city of Kherson, which has been the target of Ukrainian attacks targeting “social, economic and industrial infrastructure”.
Kherson is one of the Ukrainian regions – along with Donetsk, Lugansk and Zaporijia – recently annexed by Russia, following referendums organized by Moscow and contested by Ukraine and the international community.
Source: DN
