The representative of the occupying authorities of the captured Kherson region Kirill Stremousov stated that all Russian "administrations" had been moved to the left bank of the Dnipro River. The city services of occupied Kherson allegedly continue to work in a "special mode".
Earlier, the occupation authorities of the Kherson region informed about the "evacuation" of residents to the left bank and took away valuable equipment and bank personnel. The occupiers say that they took more than 70 000 people to the left bank.
The remaining population is intimidated by the bombing by the Ukrainian Armed Forces and the blowing up of the Kakhovka HPP dam.
The head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence (MDI) Kyrylo Budanov noted in a CNN comment that Russian troops are preparing Kherson for street battles. Mobilized troops arrive in the city — the occupying troops do not flee the city, but the command of the Russian army prepares the Russians for the loss of Kherson.
"The withdrawal of the occupying forces will accelerate when Ukraine takes the Nova Kakhovka dam under its artillery control," Budanov added.
- On October 18, an "organized transfer of the civilian population to the left bank of the Dnieper" was announced in the occupied part of the Kherson region. Collaborator Volodymyr Saldo informed at the time about the "planned destruction of the Kakhovka HPP dam."
- On October 20, President Zelensky informed about the preparation of a terrorist attack at the Kakhovka HPP. The Russians mined the dam and station units — 80 settlements, including Kherson, may be in the flood zone.
- According to military intelligence, the occupiers mined the HPP in April. For now, they are mining the locks and supports. The Government of Ukraine calls for the organization of an international mission to the hydroelectric plant.
- On October 22, it became known that water is being discharged from the Kakhovka reservoir.