Ukrainian officials tell Kherson civilians to evacuate as strikes hit energy infrastructure

Regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin advised residents, especially families and the elderly, to leave Kherson due to escalating Russian attacks. A glide bomb strike damaged the city's district heating plant, risking prolonged power and heating outages. The city, which had a pre-war population of about 280,000, has been under regular shelling from Russian forces across the Dnipro River.

The strike on Kherson's district heating plant follows a pattern of Russian attacks aimed at degrading Ukraine's energy infrastructure ahead of colder months. Prokudin's warning suggests authorities anticipate a prolonged period without reliable utilities, which would compound the difficulties faced by residents who have already endured years of near-constant shelling since the city's recapture in late 2022.

Kherson's position along the Dnipro River leaves it exposed to fire from Russian forces on the opposite bank. The governor's acknowledgment that glide bombs and drones cannot be effectively intercepted underscores the limited defensive options available, even as civilian infrastructure sustains repeated damage. The city's population has already declined significantly from its pre-war figure of roughly 280,000.