Faced with the advances of Ukrainian soldiers, the Russian army announces that it will soon evacuate Kherson

Europe 1 with AFP 9:27 p.m., October 18, 2022

The Russian army said on Tuesday that the situation on the ground in Ukraine was "tense" for its troops in the face of a Ukrainian counter-offensive, in particular in Kherson whose population was to be evacuated soon, after several significant setbacks by Russian forces in the East and South.

"The situation in the area of ​​the special military operation can be described as tense. The enemy does not give up its attempts to attack the positions of Russian troops," General Sergei told Russian state television Rossia 24. Surovikin, in charge of Russian operations in Ukraine for ten days.

"The Ukrainian regime is trying to break through our defense", by bringing together "all its reserves" for the counter-offensive, he said.

According to General Surovikin, the situation is "very difficult" in particular in Kherson, capital of the eponymous region militarily occupied by Russia since the spring and annexed in September in southern Ukraine, due to Ukrainian strikes targeting "social infrastructure, economic and industrial" of the city.

City evacuation

Sites damaged by the strikes include the Kakhovka power station dam and the Antonovskiy bridge connecting the north and south banks of the Dnieper River, according to the same source.

These strikes lead to disruptions in the supply of electricity, water and food in Kherson, said General Surovikin, denouncing a "direct threat to the lives of the inhabitants".

"The Russian army will ensure above all the safe evacuation of the population," he announced.

"Further actions concerning the city of Kherson itself will depend on the military situation," said the Russian general, advocating "the need to preserve the maximum number of lives of the civilian population and the Russian military".

"We don't rule out a very difficult decision-making," he added.