Moscow urges the residents of Kherson to evacuate before the advance of the Ukrainian Army

Russia renews its call to flee urgently from the city of Kherson, as the Ukrainian Army approaches to recover the territories of its country.

The homonymous region and located in the south of the attacked country is one of the four annexed by the Kremlin in questioned referendums last September. Territories that the local Army plans to recover with a major counteroffensive.

“Due to the tense situation on the front lines, the increased risk of massive shelling of the city and the threat of terrorist attacks, all civilians must immediately leave the city and cross to the eastern bank of the Dnieper (river),” a statement said. issued this Saturday, October 22 by the Administration imposed by the Kremlin, broadcast through Telegram.

kyiv forces have advanced in recent days and recaptured some settlements in the region that was 95% controlled by pro-Russians before the plebiscites, as they approach the capital of the oblast.

Moscow soldiers in the area have been pushed back 20-30 kilometers in recent weeks.

On Friday, October 21, Ukrainian forces bombarded Russian positions across the province, edging ever closer to an all-out assault on their capital as they attacked their adversaries’ resupply routes across the Dnieper River.

Last Wednesday, October 19, Moscow warned that it is preparing a battle to maintain control of the place. However, his parallel announcement of what he calls “evacuations” of residents to Russian territory is seen by some military analysts as the possible inability of the invading country’s Army to defend a territory that it now claims belongs to it.

This perception was strengthened after the new commander of the Russian Army in Ukraine, Sergei Surovikin, affirmed on October 18 that the situation in Kherson “was already difficult” and “tense”, an unusual recognition by the occupationist troops. .

In recent days, the pro-Russians began the transfers with which they indicated that they hope to relocate between 50,000 and 60,000 people, through a “gradual and organized displacement”, but now there is a generalized and urgent call given the proximity of the Ukrainian Army.

kyiv rejects Moscow’s version that it is trying to protect citizens and denounces “deportations” and forced transfers, for which it has asked the population to ignore that call.

Ukrainian officials have urged local residents to resist attempts to relocate them, with a local official alleging that Moscow wanted to take civilians hostage to use as human shields.

At least 25,000 people would have crossed Kherson through the Dniper River

The Kremlin-imposed deputy governor of Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, said on Saturday that around 25,000 people from across the region have already crossed into Russia or the Moscow-controlled region of Crimea through the Dniper River.

The official added that civilians have been relocating voluntarily.

“People are actively moving because today the priority is life. We are not dragging anyone anywhere,” she asserted in an apparent response to Ukrainian and Western concerns about possible forced transfers.

Kherson has been in Russian hands since the first days of the invasion, ordered by President Vladimir Putin on February 24.

The Ukrainian city is strategic for both sides of the conflict, due to its industries and its important river and sea port.

Also, the Dnieper River figures prominently in the regional battle because it performs critical functions. Among them, the transport of supplies, troops and civilians; as well as the transfer of drinking water to southern Ukraine and the neighboring Crimean peninsula, annexed by Moscow in 2014.

Much of the area, including the power plant and a canal that feeds water to Crimea, is under Russian control.

kyiv accuses Moscow of launching 33 airstrikes against electricity infrastructure

In central and western Ukraine, thousands of people woke up on October 22 to power cuts and periodic bursts of gunfire as Ukrainian defenses tried to shoot down drones and missiles launched by the Russian military.

Moscow has stepped up its attacks on power plants, water supply systems and other key infrastructure across the country, as the current phase of the war approaches eight months.

kyiv’s air force said in a statement on Saturday that Russia had launched “a massive missile strike” targeting “critical infrastructure,” adding that the Ukrainian military shot down 18 of 33 cruise missiles launched by air and sea.

“The country is being massively attacked (…) The kyiv region continues to defend the capital. Air defense forces shot down several enemy objects. The danger has not passed, the air alert continues. I ask everyone to stay in the shelters and stay calm!” said the regional governor, Oleksiy Kuleba.

More than a million people are without electricity, according to estimates by the Administration of Volodímir Zelenski.

Given the serious damage to the country’s electrical infrastructure, in the face of winter, the Zelensky government urged consumers to reduce energy use between 7 am and 11 am every day. Also, avoid the use of appliances with higher energy consumption, such as heaters.

About 40% of the country’s power system has been seriously damaged, according to estimates by the Ukrainian authorities.

With Reuters and AP