Russian President issues decree restricting movement in and out of eight regions adjoining Ukraine
\nKYIV
\nPresident Vladimir Putin introduced martial law on Wednesday in four Ukrainian regions he says Russia has annexed as some residents of the occupied city of Kherson left by boat following warnings of a looming assault.
\nThe images of people fleeing Kherson were broadcast by Russian state TV which portrayed the exodus – from the right to left bank of the River Dnipro – as an attempt to clear the city of civilians before it became a combat zone.
\nKirill Stremousov, deputy head of the local Russia-backed administration, made a video appeal after Russian forces in the area were driven back by 20-30 km (13-20 miles) in the last few weeks. They risk being pinned against the western bank of the 2,200-km (1367 miles) -long Dnipro river that bisects Ukraine.
\nIn a move which looked designed to help Russia firm its grip on the Ukrainian regions it partly occupies – including Kherson – Putin told his Security Council he was introducing martial law in them.
\nBeyond much tighter security measures on the ground, it was unclear what the immediate impact of that would be.
\nKyiv, which does not recognise Moscow\u2019s self-styled annexations of the four regions, derided the move.
\n\u201c\u2019Martial law\u2019 implementation on the occupied territories by Russia should be considered only as a pseudo-legalisation of (the) looting of Ukrainians\u2019 property,\u201d tweeted Mykhailo Podolyak, a Ukrainian presidential adviser.
\n\u201cThis does not change anything for Ukraine: we continue the liberation and deoccupation of our territories.\u201d
\nEight months after being invaded, Ukraine is prosecuting major counter-offensives in the east and south to try to take as much territory as it can before winter after routing Russian forces in some areas.
\nThe conflict has killed thousands, displaced millions, pulverised Ukrainian cities, shaken the global economy and revived Cold War-era geopolitical fissures.
\nPutin also issued a decree restricting movement in and out of eight regions adjoining Ukraine and ordered the creation of a special coordinating council under Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin to step up the faltering war effort.
\nKherson is the biggest population centre Moscow has seized and held since it began its \u201cspecial military operation\u201d in Ukraine on Feb. 24.
\nAndriy Yermak, head of the Ukrainian president\u2019s office, accused Russia of laying on a propaganda show there.
\n\u201cThe Russians are trying to scare the people of Kherson with fake newsletters about the shelling of the city by our army, and also arrange a propaganda show with evacuation,\u201d Yermak wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
\n\u2018Looming offensive\u2019
\nUkrainian cities have also been struck in recent days by drones and missiles, and Vitali Klitschko, Kyiv\u2019s mayor, said the capital\u2019s air defences were in action once again on Wednesday.
\nUkrainian President Volodymry Zelenskiy, who has said a third of his country\u2019s power stations have been hit by Russian strikes, on Wednesday discussed security at power supply facilities with senior officials.
\n\u201cWe are working to create mobile power points for the critical infrastructure of cities, towns and villages,\u201d Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram messaging app.
\n\u201cWe are preparing for various scenarios of possible consequences. Ukraine will defend itself. No matter what the enemy plans and does.\u201d
\nIn Kherson, Stremousov said the city and especially its right bank could be shelled by Ukrainian forces, adding that residents who left would be given accommodation inside Russia.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Russian President issues decree restricting movement in and out of eight regions adjoining Ukraine KYIV President Vladimir Putin introduced martial law on Wednesday in four Ukrainian regions he says Russia has annexed as some residents of the occupied city of Kherson left by boat following warnings of a looming assault. The images of people fleeing […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":290397,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[11145,4497,633],"class_list":["post-290388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world","tag-regions","tag-ukrainian","tag-vladimir-putin"],"yoast_head":"\n