Live Updates | Russia–Ukraine War

Russian-installed authorities in occupied Ukraine have reportedly sent text messages urging residents of the southern city of Kherson to evacuate, amid approaching Ukrainian forces.

Russian state news agency RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday that a message said « there will be shelling of residential areas by Ukrainian armed forces », although there has been no independent verification of this claim. . The message promised “buses from 7 a.m.… to the left bank” of the Dnieper, to Russia.

Kherson, whose capital bears the same name, is one of four regions illegally annexed by Russia last month. It was one of the first Ukrainian towns seized during the February 24 Russian invasion.

The region’s Moscow-appointed leader, Vladimir Saldo, said on Tuesday that Russian troops were building « large-scale defensive fortifications ».

Also on Friday, Saldo had urged residents of Kherson to evacuate to Russia. Russian authorities promise free travel and accommodation to those who leave.

Russian-backed officials said evacuations from occupied territories were voluntary. In many cases, the only way out is Russia.

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OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukrainian officials said Wednesday that Russian shelling had killed at least six civilians and injured 16 in the past 24 hours.

The Ukrainian president’s office said the Russian military attacked nine regions in southeastern Ukraine using drones, rockets and heavy artillery. He said the attacks were focused on destroying energy facilities.

In Kryvyi Rih, there is no electricity in several parts of the city, several pumping stations of local water utilities have been cut off, leading to water shortages, according to a report from the president’s office.

Four towns were attacked around the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. Residential buildings in Nikopol, Marhanets, Chervonohryhorivka, located on the opposite bank of the Dnieper, were damaged.

Enerhodar Mayor Dmytro Orlov said that as a result of the bombardment of the town where the workers of the nuclear power plant live, electricity and water were partially lost.

Fighting for Bakhmut in the eastern Donetsk region also continues, with four towns along the front line under fire.

The Mykolaiv region was attacked by Iranian suicide drones, of which the Ukrainian army shot down more than a dozen, avoiding any damage.

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KYIV, Ukraine — The Russian military continues its strategy to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving people without power in dozens of towns and villages as the war nears its eight-month milestone.

Shelling Tuesday night into Wednesday morning in Energodar, the nearest town to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, cut off electricity and water supply in parts of the town.

According to initial reports, the shelling damaged one of the city’s electrical substations, Energodar Mayor Dmytro Orlov said.

Critical infrastructure was attacked with Russian S-300 missiles in the Zaporizhzhia region, according to regional governor Oleksandr Starukh.

Russian forces also heavily shelled two areas in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region, cutting power to several towns and villages.

In his nightly video address, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged people to use power sparingly.

“Anyone and everyone who follows this simple rule during rush hour helps the whole country,” he said.

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KYIV, Ukraine – Russian ground forces carried out limited attacks in border areas of the northern Kharkiv region.

Ukrainian forces announced on Wednesday that they had repelled Russian offensives in small settlements about 50 kilometers from the regional capital, Kharkiv, near the Russian border.

The small-scale ground attacks suggest Moscow could « maintain its territorial aspirations » in the Kharkiv region despite massive casualties in Ukraine’s counteroffensive last month, analysts at the Institute for the Study of War say. a Washington, D.C.-based think tank

« The nature of this limited incursion is unclear, but it may suggest Russian troops are continuing offensive operations near the border, » analysts said. “Given the current, steadily deteriorating state of Russian offensive capabilities in Ukraine, it is highly unlikely that Russian troops will make any gains in this area.”

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KYIV, Ukraine – Ukrainian soldiers shot down 13 Iranian-made drones over the southern Mykolaiv region.

That’s according to the Ukrainian Air Force, which said Russian forces launched attacks in two waves on Tuesday night.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Ukrainian soldiers who shot down some of the Iranian-made missiles and drones intended to damage energy facilities.

Zelenskyy pointed out that the German IRIS-T system is already integrated into the Ukrainian air defense system and « showed itself well » in repelling Russian attacks.

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General Sergei Surovikin, commander of Russian forces in Ukraine, told reporters in Moscow on Tuesday that the situation in the southern Kherson region was « very difficult » and that civilians in some areas would have to be evacuated ahead of an expected Ukrainian offensive.

Surovikin alleged that Ukraine planned to attack infrastructure, including a dam at a hydroelectric power station.

« Therefore, first of all, the Russian military will ensure the safe and already announced departure of the population within the framework of the relocation program prepared by the Russian government, » Surovikin said.

As for the city of Kherson, he said: « I repeat: it is already very difficult from today. »

It was one of Russia’s clearest acknowledgments to date that it was evacuating civilians to occupied territories due to advancing Ukrainian troops. Kherson is one of four regions illegally annexed by Russia last month.

Regional leader Vladimir Saldo said on Tuesday that residents of Berislav, Belozersky, Snigiryovsky and Alexandrovsky should be moved across the Dnipro River, away from Russian troops building « large-scale defensive fortifications ».

Saldo urged residents to remain calm and said they would « remain under the reliable protection of the Russian military ».

Also on Friday, Saldo had urged residents of Kherson to evacuate to Russia. Russian authorities promised free travel and accommodation to those leaving. Russian-backed officials said evacuations from occupied territories were voluntary. In many cases, the only way out is Russia.

Russian officials based in the southern region of Kherson, one of four areas Moscow illegally annexed last month, announced on Tuesday that there would be an « organized transfer of civilians » out of four towns ahead of an expected Ukrainian offensive .

Regional leader Vladimir Saldo called for calm and said Kherson residents « will remain under the reliable protection of the Russian military ».

But he said the Russian military was building « large-scale defensive fortifications » and cited a particular danger of flooding from the release of a dam. Residents of Berislav, Belozersky, Snigiryovsky and Alexandrovsky needed to be moved across the Dnieper, away from the fighting, he said.

Ukrainian troops pushed deeper into Kherson and on Friday Saldo had urged residents to evacuate to Russia. Russian authorities promised free travel and accommodation to those who left.

The evacuation was described as « voluntary », but no option was presented to evacuate to Ukrainian-held territory.

The Associated Press