Kyiv/Mikolaiv: President Vladimir Putin All Russia ordered on Wednesday to support the war effort in Ukraine as Russia-appointed administration Kherson ready to vacate the lone regional capital Moscow captured during the invasion.
Images of people using boats to escape the southern city were broadcast by Russian state TV, depicting the escape – from right to left. river nipro – As an attempt to evacuate civilians before it becomes a war zone.
Russian-founded head of Kherson – one of four Ukrainian territory The unilateral claim by Moscow – where Putin declared martial law on Wednesday – said about 50,000-60,000 people would be evacuated over the next six days.
“The Ukrainian side is building up forces for a massive offensive,” officer Vladimir Saldo told state TV. “Where the army operates, there is no place for civilians.”
He said employees of Kherson’s Russian-backed administration were also being relocated to Dnipro’s left bank, although he added that Russia has the resources to capture the city and launch a counter-attack if necessary.
Eight months after the invasion, Ukraine is launching major counterattacks in the east and south to try to take as much territory as it can before winter after crossing Russian forces in some areas.
Russian forces have been pushed back 20–30 km (13–20 mi) near Kherson in the past few weeks and risk is being reduced against the 2,200 km (1,370 mi) west coast that divides Ukraine. Is.
In televised remarks for his Security Council, Putin increased the powers of Russia’s regional governors and ordered the creation of a Coordinating Council under Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to support his “special military operation”.
He added that the “entire system of state administration”, not just specialized security agencies, should be ready to support Ukraine’s effort.
It was not clear what the immediate effect of Putin’s declaration of martial law would be, beyond tightening security measures in Kherson and the other three regions.
‘deoccupation’
Kyiv, which does not recognize Moscow’s self-proclaimed mergers with the West, ridiculed the move.
“The implementation of ‘martial law’ on the Russian occupied territories should only be treated as a pseudo-legalization of the plundering of Ukrainian property,” tweeted adviser to the President of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolik.
“This does not change anything for Ukraine: we continue the liberation and occupation of our territories.”
The sides exchanged artillery fire intermittently on a section of the Kherson front in the Mykolaiv area on Wednesday, an impact marked by towers of smoke.
Several Ukrainian soldiers said they were aware of the declaration of martial law but were not concerned, although they did warn a Reuters reporter about the danger of Russian drones.
“Of course he (Putin) is not good. We understand it,” said Yaroslav, who declined to give his last name. “But whatever they’re doing, we’ll screw them up anyway.”
Oleh, who also concealed his last name, said Russia had warned in the past about what it claimed would be Ukrainian action only to execute itself.
“We are concerned about our people in the Kherson region,” he said.
Moscow denies intentionally targeting civilians, although the conflict has killed thousands, displaced millions, crushed Ukrainian cities, shook the global economy and caused Cold War-era geopolitics. Political cracks have been reopened.
‘aggressive looking’
Cities in Ukraine have been hit by drones and missiles in recent days, and Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said the capital’s air defenses were again in action on Wednesday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has said that a third of his country’s power stations have been affected by Russian attacks, discussed security at power supply facilities with senior officials.
“We are working to create mobile power points for critical infrastructure in cities, towns and villages,” Zelensky wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
“We are preparing for different scenarios of possible consequences. Ukraine will defend itself. No matter what the enemy plans and does.”
The deputy head of Kherson’s Russian-backed administration, Kirill Stremosov, said the city, and especially its right bank, could be shelled by Ukrainian forces, adding that residents who were left would be given housing inside Russia. .
“I tell you…get out of there as soon as possible,” he said in a video appeal. “We do not plan to surrender the city, we will stand till the last moment.”
The new commander of Moscow’s forces in Ukraine, General Sergei Surovikin, had previously made a dismal assessment of Russia’s prospects.
“The situation in the area of ’special military operation’ can be described as tense,” he told state-owned Rossiya 24 news channel.
The situation in Kherson was “difficult”, he said, adding: “The enemy is deliberately attacking infrastructure and residential buildings.”
The head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andrey Yermak, accused Russia of conducting a “propaganda show with evacuations” there.
“The Russians are trying to intimidate the people of Kherson with fake newspapers about the shelling of the city by our army,” Yermak wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
Images of people using boats to escape the southern city were broadcast by Russian state TV, depicting the escape – from right to left. river nipro – As an attempt to evacuate civilians before it becomes a war zone.
Russian-founded head of Kherson – one of four Ukrainian territory The unilateral claim by Moscow – where Putin declared martial law on Wednesday – said about 50,000-60,000 people would be evacuated over the next six days.
“The Ukrainian side is building up forces for a massive offensive,” officer Vladimir Saldo told state TV. “Where the army operates, there is no place for civilians.”
He said employees of Kherson’s Russian-backed administration were also being relocated to Dnipro’s left bank, although he added that Russia has the resources to capture the city and launch a counter-attack if necessary.
Eight months after the invasion, Ukraine is launching major counterattacks in the east and south to try to take as much territory as it can before winter after crossing Russian forces in some areas.
Russian forces have been pushed back 20–30 km (13–20 mi) near Kherson in the past few weeks and risk is being reduced against the 2,200 km (1,370 mi) west coast that divides Ukraine. Is.
In televised remarks for his Security Council, Putin increased the powers of Russia’s regional governors and ordered the creation of a Coordinating Council under Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to support his “special military operation”.
He added that the “entire system of state administration”, not just specialized security agencies, should be ready to support Ukraine’s effort.
It was not clear what the immediate effect of Putin’s declaration of martial law would be, beyond tightening security measures in Kherson and the other three regions.
‘deoccupation’
Kyiv, which does not recognize Moscow’s self-proclaimed mergers with the West, ridiculed the move.
“The implementation of ‘martial law’ on the Russian occupied territories should only be treated as a pseudo-legalization of the plundering of Ukrainian property,” tweeted adviser to the President of Ukraine, Mykhailo Podolik.
“This does not change anything for Ukraine: we continue the liberation and occupation of our territories.”
The sides exchanged artillery fire intermittently on a section of the Kherson front in the Mykolaiv area on Wednesday, an impact marked by towers of smoke.
Several Ukrainian soldiers said they were aware of the declaration of martial law but were not concerned, although they did warn a Reuters reporter about the danger of Russian drones.
“Of course he (Putin) is not good. We understand it,” said Yaroslav, who declined to give his last name. “But whatever they’re doing, we’ll screw them up anyway.”
Oleh, who also concealed his last name, said Russia had warned in the past about what it claimed would be Ukrainian action only to execute itself.
“We are concerned about our people in the Kherson region,” he said.
Moscow denies intentionally targeting civilians, although the conflict has killed thousands, displaced millions, crushed Ukrainian cities, shook the global economy and caused Cold War-era geopolitics. Political cracks have been reopened.
‘aggressive looking’
Cities in Ukraine have been hit by drones and missiles in recent days, and Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said the capital’s air defenses were again in action on Wednesday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who has said that a third of his country’s power stations have been affected by Russian attacks, discussed security at power supply facilities with senior officials.
“We are working to create mobile power points for critical infrastructure in cities, towns and villages,” Zelensky wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
“We are preparing for different scenarios of possible consequences. Ukraine will defend itself. No matter what the enemy plans and does.”
The deputy head of Kherson’s Russian-backed administration, Kirill Stremosov, said the city, and especially its right bank, could be shelled by Ukrainian forces, adding that residents who were left would be given housing inside Russia. .
“I tell you…get out of there as soon as possible,” he said in a video appeal. “We do not plan to surrender the city, we will stand till the last moment.”
The new commander of Moscow’s forces in Ukraine, General Sergei Surovikin, had previously made a dismal assessment of Russia’s prospects.
“The situation in the area of ’special military operation’ can be described as tense,” he told state-owned Rossiya 24 news channel.
The situation in Kherson was “difficult”, he said, adding: “The enemy is deliberately attacking infrastructure and residential buildings.”
The head of Ukraine’s presidential office, Andrey Yermak, accused Russia of conducting a “propaganda show with evacuations” there.
“The Russians are trying to intimidate the people of Kherson with fake newspapers about the shelling of the city by our army,” Yermak wrote on the Telegram messaging app.