Russian-appointed governor of Ukraine’s Kherson region asks Moscow to help evacuate civilians

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - The Moscow-appointed governor of Ukraine's Kherson region asked Russia on Thursday to help with the evacuation of civilians to safer regions.

"Every day, the cities of the Kherson region are subjected to missile attacks," Vladimir Saldo said in a Telegram post, adding that's why "the leadership of the Kherson administration has decided to provide Kherson families with the option to travel to other regions of the Russian Federation to rest and study."

"We suggested that all residents of the Kherson region, if they desire to protect themselves from the consequences of missile strikes...go to other regions," Saldo said, pointing to Crimea, the Rostov region, Krasnodar Territory and Stavropol Territory as possible destinations.

"Take your children and leave," he urged.

Kherson is one of four Ukrainian regions including Donetsk, Luhansk and Zaporizhzhia where Moscow-backed referendums were recently held to annex parts of eastern Ukraine in violation of international law.