Russo-Ukrainian War: Russia Expands Pressure to Relocate Civilians as Kherson Battle Approaches

Kyiv, Ukraine – The Ukrainian military and activists warned Tuesday that Ukrainians in the occupied southern Kherson region had been forced from their homes as Russian-installed local officials expanded the area from which civilians were ordered to leave and Russian troops rushed to the area. Strengthening defensive positions.

Ahead of a possible battle for control of the main area, the Ukrainian military said the increasing calls by occupation officials for people to leave the area were part of a campaign to terrorize and forcibly relocate tens of thousands of civilians from the West Bank to the West Bank. Dnipro River.

Ukrainian forces press to dislodge Russian forces entrenched around the city of Kherson, on the west bank of the river. Kherson is a shipbuilding city about 340 miles from the capital, Kyiv. The city is important for access to the Black Sea and Crimea, and also provides a route to the southern coast of Ukraine for invading Russian forces. His loss would deal a strategic and psychological blow to Russia.

Ukraine’s military command said in a statement on Tuesday that Russian forces had “set up technical fortifications” and mines or explosives around civilian dwellings in the Kherson region, most likely to be used as defensive positions for a looming battle.

The Ukrainian allegations could not be independently verified. But residents in Kherson contacted by phone and accounts of those who fled to Ukraine-controlled territory described intimidation by Russian forces and local officials as Ukrainian forces advanced further south.

“They are terrorizing people and forcing them to evict,” Tetiana, 60, a resident of Kherson, said in a text message on Tuesday, asking that her surname not be used for her own safety. She said that she refused to leave her apartment in 0 Kherson despite pressure from officials “to go to the so-called” safe areas of Russia “.

Then she added: “The Russian soldiers took the homes of those who left and looted everything.”

A little over a week ago, Vladimir Saldo, the Russia-appointed governor of Kherson, said tens of thousands of people should evacuate the regional capital. After only six days, he claimed the effort had been completed, although Ukrainian officials said only a few thousand people had left, most of them pro-Russian. Mr. Saldo also issued a clear warning that all those who remained could be considered hostile.

On Tuesday, Mr. Saldo expanded the area from which civilians must leave to all towns, villages and cities within 10 miles of the river, which may indicate the line Russia will defend in an attempt to seize Kherson and the critical city. A dam at Kakhovka, about 40 miles from the river to the northeast, which feeds the Crimea with fresh water.

Besides calling for everyone within 10 miles of the river to “evacuate” on the west bank, Russian-allied officials said Tuesday night that the order would include the entire area around the dam, including those living on the eastern side of Dnipro.

Within the city of Kherson, residents said the situation was getting worse by the day. A woman named Katrina, 38, wrote in a text message over the weekend that she could hear “the fighting on the outskirts of town.”

I wrote “The city is empty”. “It is as if it is dying. But we are alive. We continue and wait. To meet the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”

Anna Lukinova And the Oleksandr Chubko Contribute to the preparation of reports.