The Ukrainian army launched a counteroffensive on the territory of the Kherson region (south of Ukraine). Due to this, the flow of refugees has increased significantly, but the occupiers do not let the civilian population pass. They want to use civilians as a human shield.
Source: Serhiy Kaliman, head of the Vasylivka United Territorial Community in the Kherson region
“Our troops went on the offensive in the direction of Kherson, as a result, a very large flow of refugees left the Kherson region. Russian troops, understanding this, are not letting our people through in that number,” Kaliman said.
The Russians are specially detaining civilians. On the side of Energodar, a queue of 2,500 cars formed. Ukrainians are forced to wait for the opportunity to evacuate for 5-6 days.
He is sure that the Russian occupying forces are deliberately preventing residents from leaving because they are “interested in their remaining in the occupied region and playing the role of a human shield in the event of an escalation of hostilities.”
“People play the role of a certain human shield so that our troops cannot advance,” Kaliman added.
See also: Russian troops wear civilian clothes and flee the battlefield in the south of Ukraine
