KYIV — Ukrainian officers mentioned “vile” Russian missile strikes on civilian power websites have triggered energy outages nationwide, leaving greater than one million households with out electrical energy, whereas Russian authorities ordered residents to depart Kherson “instantly” forward of an anticipated effort by Kyiv’s forces to retake the essential southern metropolis.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mentioned on Telegram on October 22 that Russia carried out a “large assault” on Ukraine in a single day and that “the aggressor continues to terrorize our nation.”

“At night time, the enemy launched an enormous assault: 36 rockets, most of which have been shot down…These are vile strikes on essential objects. Typical techniques of terrorists,” he wrote. “The world can and should cease this terror.”

Kyrylo Tymoshenko, deputy head of Zelenskiy’s workplace, mentioned Ukrainian air protection forces had shot down 18 of the missiles.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko mentioned various missiles had been shot down on the method to the capital.

“A number of rockets flying towards Kyiv have been shot down within the area by air protection forces. Due to our defenders!” Klitschko mentioned.

There was no instant phrase on deaths associated to the missile assaults, however officers mentioned a number of folks had been injured.

It was not potential to confirm the stories on both facet.

Within the face of continued Russian strikes, International Minister Dmitro Kuleba once more urged Ukraine’s Western allies to hurry up the supply of contemporary air protection programs.

“We intercepted some, others hit the targets. Air protection saves lives. In [Western] capitals, there shouldn’t be a single minute of delay within the determination relating to air protection programs for Ukraine,” Kuleba mentioned.

Native officers mentioned energy stations have been hit within the areas of Odesa, Kirovohrad, and Lutsk, whereas different areas reported issues with electrical energy.

“One other rocket assault from terrorists who’re preventing in opposition to civilian infrastructure and folks,” the Ukrainian president’s chief of employees, Andriy Yermak, wrote on the Telegram app.

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal informed a authorities assembly that from October 10 to October 20, Russian strikes broken greater than 400 amenities in 16 areas of Ukraine, together with dozens of power amenities.

“The Russian Military has recognized our power sector as one of many key targets for its assaults,” Shmyhal mentioned on October 21.

“Russian propagandists and officers converse brazenly in regards to the function of all these assaults: Ukraine, in response to them, must be left with out water, with out gentle, with out warmth,” he mentioned.

In the meantime, Russian-appointed authorities within the occupied and illegally seized southern Kherson area on October 22 ordered the estimated 60,000 residents of the area’s eponymous major metropolis to depart “instantly” within the face of Kyiv’s advancing counteroffensive.

“Because of the tense scenario on the entrance, the elevated hazard of mass shelling of the town and the specter of terrorist assaults, all civilians should instantly go away the town and cross to the left financial institution of the Dnieper River,” the area’s Russia-backed authorities mentioned on social media.

Russina-installed officers are shifting folks out of the strategic metropolis in what they’re calling an evacuation however which Ukrainian officers label as deportations.

The order got here despite a declare by Russia’s Protection Ministry on October 22 that its forces had prevented an try by Ukraine to interrupt by its line of management in Kherson.

“All assaults have been repulsed, the enemy was pushed again to their preliminary positions,” the Protection Ministry mentioned, including that Ukraine’s offensive was launched towards the settlements of Piatykhatky, Suhanove, Sablukivka and Bezvodne, on the west facet of the Dnieper River.

The ministry’s assertion mentioned Russian forces had additionally repelled assaults within the jap areas of Luhansk and Donetsk.

Kherson metropolis, which had a prewar inhabitants of 280,000, is among the first city areas occupied by Russia firstly of the invasion.

Zelenskiy’s workplace mentioned 88 settlements within the southern Kherson area and 551 settlements within the northeastern Kharkiv area have been “de-occupied,” whereas the Ukrainian forces’ counteroffensive within the Kherson area strikes forward.

Ukraine is attempting to drive Russian forces in Kherson again east throughout the Dnieper. Russian troopers on the western financial institution, the place the town of Kherson is positioned, are reportedly near being lower off from provide traces and reinforcements.

Natalya Humenyuk, a spokeswoman for Ukraine’s southern operational command, mentioned the Ukrainian navy struck the Antonivskiy Bridge over the Dnieper within the metropolis of Kherson throughout an in a single day curfew Russia-installed officers put in place to keep away from civilian casualties.

“We don’t assault civilians and settlements,” Humenyuk informed Ukrainian tv.

Ukrainian strikes made the Antonivskiy Bridge inoperable, prompting Russian authorities to arrange ferry crossings and pontoon bridges to relocate civilians and transport provides.

Russia has despatched in 1000’s of lately mobilized troops to bolster the protection of Kherson, the Common Employees of Ukraine’s armed forces mentioned on October 21.

Zelenskiy once more on October 21 urged the West to warn Russia to not blow up a dam on the Nova Kakhovka hydroelectric energy plant on the Dnieper River as this might flood settlements towards Kherson.

Zelenskiy mentioned Russian forces had planted explosives contained in the dam, which holds again an unlimited reservoir, and have been planning to blow it up.

“Now everybody on the earth should act powerfully and rapidly to forestall a brand new Russian terrorist assault. Destroying the dam would imply a large-scale catastrophe,” he mentioned in his nightly handle.

With reporting by Reuters, AFP, AP, and the BBC