Kyiv: Russians leaving Chornobaivka and Kherson
For the first time since the capture of the Kherson region, the Russians have taken all the equipment out of Chornobaivka and are leaving Kherson, said the adviser to the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration Serhiy Khlan on the air of the FREEDOM telethon.
According to Khlan, there are fewer Russians in the regional center, but they continue to loot the city and intimidate the local population. Chornobaivka was empty for the first time in many months.
"There are no visible preparations for street battles in Kherson. There are no visible fortifications, no new structures and new sandbags and roadblocks – all this is not observed. They said that the evacuation was completed, but nevertheless they continue to loot. Yesterday, it was noted that the occupiers continued to pack the equipment from medical institutions, including ambulances. We saw satellite images of Chornobaivka, which looks completely empty. We all remember, of course, the TV series, when our artillery destroyed the equipment of the occupiers. But despite this, the occupiers have always used Chornobaivka as a logistics center, because it is conveniently located for the redistribution of equipment and weapons. From these pictures, Chornobaivka was completely empty of equipment and ammunition. And this is the first time since the occupation of Kherson and the region," Khlan said.
The official also noted that the Russians are moving the equipment to the left bank of the Dnieper. According to him, the withdrawal of equipment from the left bank is visible in the area of the Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, at the crossings in the villages of Lvove and Kozatske, in the direction of Nova Kakhovka. Khlan also added that Russians are moving equipment near the Antonovsky Bridge using pontoons, together with civilian cars.
As for civilians, Khlan said several thousand people had left Kherson for Russia.
"It is reported that the occupiers provided 1,000 seats in the buses every day. Although they say that 30 thousand were moved to Russia, one can simply count: they took no more than 5-6 thousand to the Russian Federation. They promise 100 thousand hryvnias ($2,707) as one-time assistance and some kind of housing certificate. It is not clear what kind of certificate it is, where it will be used. But they say that it can allegedly be used as a down payment on a mortgage. Maybe somewhere in the Khabarovsk Territory. People are taken to the Krasnodar Territory, then communication with people is lost, "said Khlan.
The adviser to the head of the Kherson regional administration said he fears that repressions in Kherson may intensify, since mostly people with an active pro-Ukrainian position refuse to leave the city while the occupiers are trying to ensure that as many people as possible leave.
"Yesterday, there was another explosion in one of the police stations. Let's note that these police stations are empty. This is the second explosion at the police station. They are empty, but the occupiers begin to stir up a conflict, allegedly "see, terrorist acts." Here, "The Armed Forces of Ukraine carry out terrorist acts." That is, there is an escalation of the situation, spurring people to evacuate from Kherson," Khlan added.
Earlier, The General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces reported that Russians took out of Kherson to Crimea all city transport.