ALEXANDER ERMOCHENKO
Russia has ordered civilians in Kherson, Ukraine, to evacuate, as Ukrainian forces continue to grind out battlefield gains.
According to the Associated Press, Kremlin-backed officials have told residents to use “boat crossings over a major river to move deeper into Russian-held territory.” Ukrainian officials, meanwhile, have raised alarms about whether civilians are being “forced” to take residence in areas controlled by Russia—for strategic rather than humanitarian purposes. Russia has disputed those claims.
The Ukrainian military is working to retake Kherson, which the country lost soon after the conflict began in February. At the time, Russia was expected to quickly dominate Ukraine’s defenses, but fighting has dragged on for eight months, and Russia’s military has appeared disorganized and under-supplied.