Latest news of the Russian war in Ukraine on October 22

Russian-backed authorities urge civilians to leave the city of Kherson immediately Civilians arriving from Kherson at the Dzhankoi train station in Crimea on October 21, 2022. (Credit: STRINGER/AFP) (Photo by STRINGER/AFP via Getty Images) The Russian-installed authority in the Kherson region of southern Ukraine told civilians on Saturday to “immediately leave the city” and move to the eastern bank of the Dnipro River. Kherson, a gateway to Crimea located at the mouth of the Dnipro River in the Black Sea, was annexed by Russia last month, along with three other Ukrainian regions. The decision sparked widespread international condemnation. Pro-Russian authorities told civilians on Saturday to cross to the east bank of the river. “Due to the tense situation on the front lines, the heightened danger of widespread shelling of the city and the threat of terrorist attacks, all civilians must leave the city immediately,” says a message to residents posted on Telegram. “Take care of the safety of your family and friends! Don’t forget documents, money, valuables and clothes.” A little background: Earlier this week, Kremlin-backed officials stepped up the relocation of up to 60,000 people from the city as Russian forces struggled to resist a Ukrainian counteroffensive. The Kyiv government has accused Russia of generating “hysteria” to force people to leave. By Thursday, Ukrainian authorities believed that less than half of Kherson’s civilian population, some 130,000 people, remained in the city. Ukrainian forces have been advancing in various parts of the region in recent weeks, capturing villages and farmland along the western bank of the Dnipro River. Today’s order urged residents to go to the other side.