Ukraine Steps Up Efforts To Evacuate Kherson Residents as Russian Attacks Intensify

Ukraine steps up efforts to evacuate Kherson residents as Russian attacks intensify within the area, forcing families, including young children, to leave their homes in fear for their lives.

One resident, 13-year-old Nika Selivanova, made a heart shape using both of her hands as she waved goodbye to her best friend Inna. The latter was pressed up against the glass partition that divides the entrance hall of Kherson's train station from its waiting area.

Ukraine Evacuates Kherson Residents

A few moments before, the two kids hugged with tears welling up in their eyes as Inna kissed Asia, a tan dachshund that was wrapped in a warm blanket, who was carried in Nika's arms. The two young girls did not know when the next time they would meet each other again would come.

Nika's family was already trying to leave Kherson and were not yet sure of where they would end up going afterward. In the meantime, they were traveling to the western city of Khmelnytskyi in hopes that they could get some assistance there, as per BBC.

In the past few days, the chaos in Kherson has been a little bit too much for Nika's mother, Elena, to handle. She said that before, Russian military forces shelled the city up to seven to 10 times a day. But now, Elena noted that the attacks were happening 70 to 80 times every single day, and occurred all day long.

The mother and her three daughters were among the more than 400 people who were forced to leave their home in Kherson since Christmas Day. The evacuations were prompted by a sharp increase in the intensity of the bombardment of the city by Moscow's troops.

According to the New York Times, the Ukrainian government was offering free train rides and cash payments to residents who chose to leave Kherson. The situation comes as Russian forces launched a missile attack and nearly three dozen rockets at the embattled city in the last 24 hours.

Continued Russian Attacks

Ukrainian officials also called on residents to evacuate the embattled city of Kherson due to Moscow's increased hostility. The attacks were reported to have struck a maternity ward where at least five women were recovering after giving birth, said the deputy head of the Ukrainian president's office, Kyrylo Tymoshenko.

The official shared various images on Telegram after the strike on Tuesday that showed blown-out windows, a hole in the roof, and piles of rubble in one of the rooms. Since Ukrainian forces retook control of Kherson last month, it has been bombarded by attacks from the Russian side.

Moscow's forces reportedly used new defensive positions on the opposite bank of the Dnipro River to launch near-daily strikes. On Saturday, officials said that at least 10 people were killed in Kherson due to Russia's continued attacks.

On top of the attacks on Kherson, Russia's troops also bombarded 25 settlements around the city and Zaporizhzhia. The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said that some of Moscow's forces were leaving their posts around Zaporizhzhia, the Voice of America News reported.