Russian forces 'most likely' leaving Kherson – but it may be a trap; no evidence of dirty bombs in Ukraine: Updates

In what appears to be either a trap or a major Russian defeat, invading forces are significantly less visible on the west side of the crucial city of Kherson, where the Russian flag no longer flies atop the regional administration building.

Does that mean a Russian retreat in the face of an impending Ukrainian counteroffensive?

Kirill Stremousov, the Kremlin-appointed head of the Kherson province, seemed to suggest that when he told Russian TV: “Most likely, our units, our troops will go to the left (east) bank,'' of the Dnieper River, away from the capital city.

The Russians have been moving residents and administrators in that direction for two weeks in anticipation of a fierce battle. But Stremousov emphasized that all Ukrainian attacks have been repelled, and the Ukrainians are taking the notion of a Russian pullback with a high degree of skepticism.

"We should not hurry to rejoice,” said Natalia Humeniuk, Ukraine’s southern military spokeswoman, adding that some Russian military personnel are disguising themselves as civilians.

At a Thursday news conference, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expressed confidence in the Ukrainians' ability to prevail in a fight for the city, saying: “Ukraine can take the remaining territory on the west side of the Dnieper River in Kherson.''

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Latest developments:

►Brittney Griner is "doing as well as can be expected'' the White House said Thursday after U.S. Embassy officials met with the WNBA star, who has been held in Russian captivity on drug charges since February.

►Ukrainian officials said 868 bodies of civilians, including 24 children, were found in liberated areas of the Kharkiv, Donetsk and Kherson regions. And national police official Oleksii Serhieiev said 34 torture sites were discovered after Russian troops left those areas, as well as the Kyiv, Sumy and Chernihiv regions.

►In the latest prisoner exchange between the warring nations, each side will receive 107 POWs, the Russian Defense Ministry said, according to the Tass state news agency.

►The Russian Foreign Ministry summoned U.K. Ambassador Deborah Bronnert on Thursday, saying she was called in connection with the alleged participation of British instructors in an Oct. 29 attack on Black Sea fleet facilities in Sevastopol in Crimea.

►The majority of Americans support continuing aid to Ukraine, according to a Wall Street Journal poll, which also showed Republican opposition to helping the country is growing.

Inspections find no signs of dirty bombs at Ukraine locations, IAEA says

Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency found no indications of "undeclared nuclear activities and materials'' at any of the three Ukrainian locations they examined, IAEA head Rafael Grossi said in a statement Thursday.

The inspections were conducted at Ukraine's urging after Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, accused Kyiv of planning to detonate a "dirty bomb'' – a device that explodes and spreads radioactive material – and blame it on Moscow.

The U.S. and some of its allies called the allegation "transparently false.''

Grossi said the inspectors received free access to the three facilities Russia pinpointed as sites of the dirty bomb activities, and "the results we have so far did not show any sign of undeclared nuclear activities and materials at these three locations.''

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky said the inspections confirmed his nation's contention that it was not building a dirty bomb, adding: "The only thing that is dirty in our region now is the heads of those in Moscow.”

'We cannot let this stand': US senators visit Kyiv, tour damaged power company

Two U.S. senators got a first-hand look at the impact of what they called "the largest campaign against civilian energy infrastructure in human history,'' when they visited Kyiv on Thursday and met with Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials.

Democratic Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware and Republican Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio pledged continued humanitarian support for Ukraine as its power plants get repeatedly targeted by Russian missiles and drones, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity as winter approaches.

The lawmakers met with families at a distribution center and toured the  headquarters of Ukrainian energy company Ukrenergo, which was damaged by a Russian attack.

“Russia has responded to Ukraine’s success on the battlefield by once again attacking not on the battlefield, but attacking the civilians of Ukraine,'' Portman said at a news conference. "Trying to turn off the lights, turn off the heat, turn off the water. It’s cowardly. It’s brutal. We cannot let this stand.”

Russian shelling forces Ukraine nuclear plant to run on generators, renewing safety concerns

Ukraine's nuclear power plant was again disconnected from the electrical grid Thursday and forced to run on generators because of fighting in the vicinity, stirring new fears over its safety.  As has been the case in previous such instances, Russia and Ukraine blamed the other side.

The generators have enough fuel to maintain the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest, in southeastern Ukraine for just 15 days, energy company Energoatom said on Telegram. The ability to “maintain the ZNPP in a safe mode" is a concern, Energoatom said. “The countdown has begun.”

The shelling damaged power lines connecting the plant to the Ukrainian grid, leaving the plant dependent on diesel generators. Although the plant's six reactors are shut down, the facility relies on outside electricity to cool spent fuel – and a failure to cool the fuel could lead to a nuclear disaster.

Russia's military has occupied much of the region in southeastern Ukraine since the early days of the war eight months ago, but Ukrainian workers continue to operate the plant. Missile strikes are common, and U.N. nuclear safety experts have warned repeatedly about the possibility of a radiation emergency.

Switching to backup power further underlines “the extremely precarious nuclear safety and security situation at the facility and the urgent need to establish a protection zone around it,” the International Atomic Energy Agency said Thursday.

7 ships leave Ukrainian ports as grain deal is back on

A wartime agreement in which Russia allowed grain to be shipped from Ukraine to world markets was effective again Thursday, calming concerns over a possible global food crisis.

Seven ships carrying 290,000 tons of agricultural products set sail from Ukrainian seaports heading to Asia and Europe.

Putin said Moscow would rejoin the pact after receiving assurances that Ukraine wouldn’t use the humanitarian corridors to attack Russian forces. Russia could exit the deal again if Kyiv breaks its word, he said, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov cautioned that Russia has not committed to extending the agreement past its Nov. 19 expiration date.

Russia had suspended its participation in the grain deal over the weekend, citing an alleged drone attack against its Black Sea fleet in Crimea. Ukraine has not acknowledged involvement.

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine live updates: Russian forces appear to be leaving Kherson