The operation to liberate Russian-occupied Kherson will most likely last until the end of November.
This was stated by the head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov, in an interview with The Drive publication.
Budanov believes that the most prepared and combat-capable Russian units are currently in the city. “A large part of them are amphibious troops, Russian special forces and marines, that is, the most combat-capable units that Russia has. These units form the backbone of the group, which is also strengthened by the mobilized ones,” explained the head of the MDI.
According to his assessment, there are approximately 40,000 Russian military personnel in the occupied Kherson region. At the same time, Budanov added that even blowing up the dam of the Kakhovka HPP will not prevent the Ukrainian military from liberating Kherson. At the same time, detonation of the dam can delay the advance of the Ukrainian army to the eastern bank of the Dnieper already after the liberation of the city.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky does not believe that the Russians are preparing to withdraw from Kherson. In his opinion, the occupiers are conducting an information operation.
- On October 18, in the occupied part of the Kherson region, an “organized transfer of the civilian population to the left bank of the Dnipro” was announced. Collaborator Volodymyr Saldo announced at the time about the “planned destruction of the Kakhovskaya HPP dam”.
- On October 20, President Zelensky announced 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 back in April, now they are mining the locks and supports. The Government of Ukraine calls for the organization of an international mission to the hydroelectric plant.