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Kremlin-backed local authorities claim they are rescuing residents from the left bank of the Dnipro River, with some 1,300 out of 40,000 evacuated. Painting a rosy picture, Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed acting governor of Kherson, said in a statement that children have been removed from the flood zone and sent "to the sea to good holiday camps in the Kherson region, or Crimea." He continued: "As for the adult residents, few show a desire to evacuate. People want to wait until the water comes down and continue to work on their land." But those on the ground report a different reality.
But those on the ground report a different reality.
Ten natives of the town of Oleshky and the village of Kardashynka, located some 20 kilometers and 36 kilometers southeast of the city of Kherson respectively, told POLITICO that locals tried to flee immediately after the dam blasts—but Russian troops blocked them and forced them to return home to wait for an official list of evacuees who would be bussed out of the area. And Russian forces are actively preventing Kyiv's authorities from rescuing those who are trapped by floodwaters in occupied areas, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensk* said in an exclusive interview. "From the roofs of the flooded houses, people see drowned people floating by," Zelensk* said. "It's very hard to get people out of the occupied ["left bank"] part of Kherson region. When our ["volunteer"] forces try to get them out, they are shot at by occupiers from a distance." [...]"On the territory of the left bank that is not under Ukrainian control, evacuation is required for 20 settlements [!], with an estimated population of 25,000 [!] people," [Ukraine's Environment Minister Ruslan] Strilets said, adding: "The Russian occupying authorities are not providing evacuation assistance to the people."
"From the roofs of the flooded houses, people see drowned people floating by," Zelensk* said. "It's very hard to get people out of the occupied ["left bank"] part of Kherson region. When our ["volunteer"] forces try to get them out, they are shot at by occupiers from a distance." [...]"On the territory of the left bank that is not under Ukrainian control, evacuation is required for 20 settlements [!], with an estimated population of 25,000 [!] people," [Ukraine's Environment Minister Ruslan] Strilets said, adding: "The Russian occupying authorities are not providing evacuation assistance to the people."
Russian troops seemed disoriented by the scale of the disaster after the dam burst, eyewitnesses indicated. "They left their own soldiers and weapons there," said Oleksandra, a resident of Oleshky who has also been helping coordinate local rescue efforts. Oleksandra asked for her surname to be withheld due to safety concerns. [...] Some Russian soldiers have attempted to help those in some parts of the disaster zone, Oleksandra said, but the efforts are sporadic and complicated by a lack of trust in the occupying forces. Told that Russian authorities had arranged for busses to shuttle them to safety, locals were terrified at the thought of boarding them: "They did not know where Russians would take them. They were afraid to be deported to Russia," said Oleksandra.
"They left their own soldiers and weapons there," said Oleksandra, a resident of Oleshky who has also been helping coordinate local rescue efforts. Oleksandra asked for her surname to be withheld due to safety concerns. [...] Some Russian soldiers have attempted to help those in some parts of the disaster zone, Oleksandra said, but the efforts are sporadic and complicated by a lack of trust in the occupying forces. Told that Russian authorities had arranged for busses to shuttle them to safety, locals were terrified at the thought of boarding them: "They did not know where Russians would take them. They were afraid to be deported to Russia," said Oleksandra.
...As is typical in these types of situations (Americans who remember Hurricane Katrina* can relate to this), up until the last minute people kept crossing their fingers and hoping that the water would not reach their houses, but eventually it did. At which point they had no choice except to climb up onto the roof. Whence they were rescued (if they were lucky), placed into boats, and floated away to a dry road, then placed into buses, trucks, and even heavy equipment like tractors, for further delivery. Many of these unfortunate people were able to retrieve only their most valued possessions. The water took everything else....
K**v's forces resume attemps to cross Dnieper after Kakhovka Dam was destroyed (15.06.23) The Ukrainian landing operation was spotted in the area of the town of Golaya Pristan located in the ["left"] southern Skadovsk district of the Kherson region. A group of about 40 Ukrainian servicemen on board four military boats crossed the Dnieper where numerous small islands are located. The military operation of the AFU was timely spotted by Russian forces. As a result, Ukrainian assault failed. The first boat was sunk by Russian fire. The others managed to escape back to the western ["right"] coast of the river...
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