Ukraine Latest: Kherson Civilians Told to Evacuate Across Dnipro

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Russian annexation authorities issued an urgent evacuation order for the city of Kherson, held by Moscow’s forces since March, telling civilians to depart immediately ahead of an expected counteroffensive by Ukrainian troops. Ukraine has said that Russia intends to blow up a hydroelectric dam upstream.

Russian forces launched dozens of rockets against Ukraine in a “massive attack” on Saturday, said President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Some missiles hit energy targets across several cities, leaving some 1.5 million Ukrainians without power. Ukraine’s foreign minister called the deliberate strikes on critical civilian infrastructure “part of Russia’s genocide.”

Zelenskiy said Moscow is deliberately slowing exports of grain from Ukrainian ports in a bid to prolong a global food crisis, with more than 150 ships waiting to gain access to Black Sea ports. Putin has repeatedly criticized the grain shipment agreement his government agreed to in July.

(See RSAN on the Bloomberg Terminal for the Russian Sanctions Dashboard.)

Key Developments

  • Blinken Says Iran May Be Sending More Drones to Russia

  • Russia Hits Ukraine’s Power Grid, Causing Widespread Blackouts

  • Ukraine Crop Deal Fears Boost Food Costs and Slow Shipments

  • Ex-Moscow Investment Banker Takes Top Job in War-Torn Region

  • The Private Jet That Took 100 Russians Away From Putin’s War

On the Ground

Ukraine was targeted with 40 missiles and 16 Iranian drone strikes on Saturday, according to the country’s military headquarters, which said Ukrainian forces shot down half the missiles and 11 drones. The attacks are part of a Russian campaign to target civilian infrastructure that has knocked out electricity and water. Ukrainian troops shelled Shebekino in Russia’s Belgorod region, killing two people, the area’s governor said. There was no comment from Ukraine and no confirmation. A missile strike on an industrial facility wounded 11 people in Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second largest city, the regional governor said. Ukraine carried out 16 air strikes on Russian military targets and shot down a Russian Su-25 warplane.

(All times CET)

Ukraine Says Russian Troops Flee in Kherson Area (6:35 p.m.)

Russian troops are continuing to flee the Kherson region amid a Ukrainian counteroffensive, the general staff in Kyiv said on Facebook. Russian officers left the town of Beryslav, 77 kilometres (48 miles) east of Kherson up the Dnipro river, according to the account.

Annexation Officials Order Rapid Kherson Evacuation (6 p.m.)

Russian-installed authorities ordered all civilians in the southern city of Kherson to leave “immediately” ahead of an expected advance by Ukrainian troops and take “documents, money, valuables and clothes” with them.

In a Telegram post that added urgency to previous statements, the pro-Kremlin administration called on civilians to use boat crossings over the Dnipro River to move deeper into Russian-held territory, citing a tense situation at the front.

There was no immediate comment from Ukrainian authorities. Kyiv has warned that Russia has mined and may attempt to blow up the Kakhovka dam on the Dnipro River above Kherson, causing massive flooding to the city and dozens of other settlements downstream.

Electricity Services Resume in Some Regions (4:07 p.m.)

The lights were back on as Ukrainian repair workers fixed damages to local power grid in southern Mykolaiv region, one of several that faced missile attacks from Russia Saturday morning.

“Connection plus, light plus,” regional governor Vitaliy Kim wrote on his Telegram-account.

Zelenskiy Says Russia Launched 36 Rockets on Saturday (3 p.m.)

Ukraine’s president said Russia “launched a massive attack” on Saturday of some 36 rockets, most of which were shot down by Kyiv’s air defenses, though some hit key energy targets.

“To all energy workers and services that are currently working at the sites of impact and restoring our infrastructure. You are our heroes!” Zelenskiy said on his Telegram channel.

Kyiv Stocks Up on Mobile Power Supplies (2:41 p.m.)

Authorities in Kyiv are buying mobile boiler-rooms amid fears that Russian air strikes on energy infrastructure may lead to a temporary collapse of its centralized heating, Ukrayinska Pravda reported, citing Deputy Mayor Petro Panteleyev.

Kyiv started its new heating season -- which typically runs from late October through mid-April -- on Friday despite relatively mild weather that’s eased some pressure on the grid. Authorities have called on residents to conserve power amid heavy shelling from Russia on the country’s energy infrastructure in recent weeks.

Ukraine’s government has warned citizens to prepare for a difficult winter marked by potential rolling blackouts.

Almost 1.5 Million Ukrainians Facing Blackouts (1:44 p.m.)

More than 1.4 million Ukrainians are without power after Russia’s repeated missile strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure on Saturday, said a top aide to President Volydymyr Zelenskiy. Water supplies have also been disrupted.

Extensive power cuts were reported is Khmelnytskyi, about 350 km (217 miles) southwest of Kyiv and even further from the front lines in the Donbas and Kherson regions. More than 670,000 residents are without power there, or more than half the region’s population, said Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of the presidential office. Explosions were also reported in the Volyn and Rivne regions, even further west.

Biden Cites Ukraine in Message to Italy’s Meloni (2 p.m.)

US President Joe Biden focused on the war in Ukraine as he lauded Giorgia Meloni on becoming Italy’s new prime minister, the first woman to hold that role.

“As leaders in the G-7, I look forward to continuing to advance our support for Ukraine, hold Russia accountable for its aggression, ensure respect for human rights and democratic values, and build sustainable economic growth,” Biden said in a statement.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy also offered congratulations, saying he looked forward to “continued fruitful cooperation to ensure peace and prosperity in Ukraine.”

Germany’s Scholz Says Rebuilding Ukraine Must be Global Effort (10 a.m.)

Rebuilding Ukraine will be a task the European Union can’t shoulder alone as it’s an effort that will require financing for decades, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a video statement.

Scholz, as part of Germany’s G7 presidency, will host a conference in Berlin on Tuesday to discuss what investments are needed and how to organize funding, he said.

The gathering is meant to send “a sign of hope now, in the midst of the horror of war, that things are looking up again,” he said.

Widespread Strikes Continue on Energy Facilities (9:30 a.m)

Russian forces made multiple strikes on Ukraine’s power plants and other energy infrastructure on Saturday, including in western and central regions as well in the Odesa region on the Black Sea coast. Targeting of power and water facilities increased on Oct. 10 and has continued.

Ukraine’s power grid operator NPC Ukrenergo limited electricity supplies in Kyiv and at least ten other regions.

Targeting of civilian infrastructure has increased as Kremlin troops have suffered multiple setbacks on the battlefield, including what now looks like a retreat from the southeastern Kherson region.

Russian Forces in Kherson Prepare for Street Battles, Withdrawal (8:30 a.m.)

A significant part of the population of Kherson has left, and remaining Russian military in the city dress in civilian clothes and have moved into abandoned buildings in the southeastern city, Ukraine’s military said.

The Institute for the Study of War said Russia’s withdrawal from western Kherson oblast has begun, weeks after the region was illegally annexed by Putin. The troops likely intend to continue their retreat for several weeks, “but may struggle to withdraw in good order if Ukrainian forces choose to attack,” the US-based think tank said.

Russia “will likely attempt to blow up the dam at the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant to cover their withdrawal,” ISW said. Zelenskiy and other officials have warned of the potential for Russia to blow up the dam and called for urgent international intervention.

Zelenskiy Blames Russia for Massive Grain Ship Backlog (8 a.m.)

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia is attempting to undermine the safe-transit deal for three Black Sea ports it agreed to in late July and creating a backlog of “more than 150 ships” waiting to load wheat, corn and other products.

“This is an artificial queue,” Zelenskiy said Friday in his nightly video address. “It arose only because Russia is deliberately delaying the passage of ships.”

Ukraine has shipped more than 8 million tons of farm products since August, but “under-exported” about 3 million tons because of the shipment delays, Zelenskiy said, estimating that at “the annual volume consumption of 10 million people.”

Read more: Ukraine Crop Deal Fears Boost Food Costs and Slow Shipments

Blinken Warns of More Iranian Drones on Battlefield (3:30 a.m.)

Blinken said more Iranian military drones may be on their way to Russian forces, as the US reiterated its condemnation of Tehran for aiding President Vladimir Putin’s invasion.

“We believe that Russia’s received dozens of these UAVs so far from Iran, with more potentially in the works,” Blinken told reporters at a briefing alongside French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna on Friday, referring to unmanned aerial vehicles.

Blinken spoke a day after the White House accused Iran of sending trainers and technicians to Crimea to help advise and support Russian attacks on Ukrainian targets. He added that the US was working to counter Iran’s efforts and bolster Ukraine’s ability to ward off attacks.

Russian, US Defense Chiefs Speak for First Time Since May (3:22 p.m.)

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu discussed the Ukraine war and other global security issues with US counterpart Lloyd Austin, Tass said, citing the Russian Defense Ministry.

The brief report provided no other details of the phone call. In a separate readout, the Pentagon said Austin “emphasized the importance of maintaining lines of communication amid the ongoing war.” The US last announced a call between the two on May 13.

Austin also spoke on Friday with Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov, the Pentagon said.

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