Russia to evacuate civilians from occupied region of Kherson as Ukraine advances

FILE - Russian troops guard an entrance of the Kakhovka Hydroelectric Station, a run-of-river power plant on the Dnieper River in Kherson region, south Ukraine, on May 20, 2022. According to Russian state TV, the future of the Ukrainian regions occupied by Moscow's forces is all but decided: Referendums on becoming part of Russia will soon take place there, and the joyful residents who were abandoned by Kyiv will be able to prosper in peace. In reality, the Kremlin appears to be in no rush to seal the deal on Ukraine's southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia and the eastern provinces of Donetsk and Luhansk. (AP Photo)
Russia-held Kherson

As Ukraine forces Russia to retreat from its southern Kherson area, Moscow authorities promised free accommodation to Kherson residents who choose to evacuate to Russia.

The Russia-installed leader of Kherson, Vladimir Saldo, cited possible missile attacks on civilians in suggesting the move.

Russia has characterised the movement of Ukrainians to Russia as voluntary but reports have surfaced that many have been forcibly deported from occupied territory, to “filtration camps” where harsh conditions have been reported.

A man drives his motorcycle past a destroyed car in the retaken village of Velyka Oleksandrivka Credit: AP

Ukrainian forces are pushing their counter-offensive deeper into the southern region, one of four that Russia recently annexed illegally.

The British military stated on Twitter that Russia-backed Kherson authorities have ordered the evacuation because they anticipate combat to extend to the city of Kherson.

Russian backed officials in the region have attempted to downplay the move saying: "No one’s retreating. No one is planning to leave the territory of the Kherson region.”

Ukraine’s Kyiv region was struck by Iranian-made kamikaze drones early on Thursday morning.

The southern city of Mykolaiv was also struck by missiles overnight as fighting continued along Ukraine’s southern front.

Ukrainian officials said 13 people were killed and 37 wounded in the past day in Russian missile strikes that targeted nine regions of Ukraine.

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Mykolaiv regional governor Vitali Kim said that an 11-year-old boy was rescued from under the rubble of a five-story apartment building that was destroyed, where he had spent six hours.

Rescuers on Thursday morning were searching for seven more people, Kim said.

Kyiv regional governor Oleksiy Kuleba said the strike occurred in the area around the capital city. It was not yet clear if there were any casualties.

Meanwhile, UK defence secretary Ben Wallace announced that the UK will send anti-aircraft missiles to Ukraine to help protect their skies.

The latest package of UK equipment also includes hundreds of other air defence missiles and aerial drones, as well as a further 18 howitzer artillery guns.

Britain will also give £10 million to the military alliance’s funding package to help provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine including winter clothes, shelters, generators, fuel trucks and ambulances.

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has announced the delivery of more weapons to Ukraine Credit: Dominic Lipinski/PA

The UK has previously supplied Kyiv with various weapons, including the NLAW anti-tank missile launcher, which was considered instrumental in the initial defence against Moscow’s invasion.

NATO’s secretive Nuclear Planning Group also met on Thursday as the military alliance presses ahead with plans to hold a nuclear exercise next week despite deep concern over President Vladimir Putin’s insistence that he will use any means necessary to defend Russian territory.

NATO is keeping a wary eye on Russia’s movements, but has so far seen no change in its nuclear posture.

But additional uncertainty comes from the fact that Russia is also due to hold its own nuclear exercises soon, possibly at the same time as NATO or just after, according to NATO diplomats. That could complicate the 30-country military organisation’s reading of the war and of Moscow's intentions.

NATO defence ministers attend a meeting of the North Atlantic Council at NATO headquarters in Brussels Credit: AP

“This is a routine exercise and it’s all about readiness,” Wallace said, just as “NATO’s meeting is all about making sure we are ready for anything.

"I mean, that is the job of this alliance - to make sure that the 30 partners together are ready for what is thrown at us. And we have to continue to work at that.”

NATO’s exercise, dubbed “Steadfast Noon,” is held around the same time every year and runs for about one week. It involves fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear warheads, but doesn't involve any live bombs. Conventional jets, and surveillance and refuelling aircraft also routinely take part.

Fourteen NATO member countries will be involved in the exercise, which was planned before Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. The main part of the manoeuvres will be held more than 1,000 kilometres (625 miles) from Russia.

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