Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Irina Veretsuk on Sunday called on civilians in the Russian-occupied southern region of Kherson to urgently evacuate there, as the Ukrainian armed forces prepare a counter-offensive.
Ukraine lost control of most of the Black Sea region of Kherson, including its capital of the same name, in the weeks following Russia's invasion on 24 February.
There will be fighting
"It is clear that there will be fighting, there will be artillery shelling ... and therefore we urge (people) to leave urgently," Veretsuk told state television.
She said she could not say exactly when the counterattack would take place.
There should be no women and children
"I know for sure that there should be no women and children there and that they should not be turned into human shields," she added."
[BR][BR]Authorities in Kherson, where Russian occupation forces have settled, say they want to hold a referendum on the region's secession to Russia, but have not yet set a date. The Kremlin argues that the future of the region should be determined by its residents.
The Kherson region includes the town of the same name, which before the war had a population of nearly 300,000. It is not known how many of the city's inhabitants are still there.
Source: APE-MPE
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