Moscow-imposed head of occupied Kherson oblast, Vladimir Saldo, decided to “expand the evacuation zone by 15 km from the Dnipro,” purportedly in a bid to “protect civilians” from “Ukrainian attacks.”
“Due to the possibility of the use of prohibited methods of war by the Ukrainian regime, as well as information that Kyiv is preparing a massive missile strike on the Kakhovka hydroelectric station, there is an immediate danger of the Kherson region being flooded,” he stated in a video message.
The Kremlin has every now and then been hurling accusations that Ukraine intends to use a so-called "dirty bomb" to blow up a dam and flood villages and towns in the Ukrainian southern province of Kherson.
Kyiv has been dismissing allegations, ruling out any potential use of such tactics on its own territory, at the same time adding that Russia might in turn be planning such actions itself, afterwards laying the blame on Ukraine.
In the past weeks, the mouth of the River Dnipro has grown to become one of the crucial war frontlines, with the Russian army aiming to reinforce the area and the Ukrainian forces trying to expel Russian troops from the west bank.
The Russian-ordered evacuation move is believed to be tantamount to a forced depopulation of the occupied area, according to Reuters.
Tuesday is day 251 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
(pjm)
Source: Reuters