Russian forces are in a “very uneasy” situation around the strategic Ukrainian port city of Kherson, the commander of Moscow's invading forces has said.
His remarks came as the Russian-installed head of the Kherson region urged civilian evacuations from the area, saying 60,000 could leave in the coming days.
Kherson, which had a pre-war population of about 300,000, fell to Russian invading forces early in the conflict.
The city and surrounding oblast were annexed by Russia on September 30, after a referendum widely described as a sham vote and condemned by 143 UN member states voting on a resolution on October 12.
Only five countries, including North Korea, Syria and Russia’s close ally Belarus, voted against the resolution.
“Our plans in the city of Kherson will depend on the tactical military situation that is already very uneasy. We will seek to protect the lives of civilians and our service members,” Gen Sergey Surovikin said at a press conference in Moscow.
“We will act in a timely manner, without excluding the most difficult decisions.”
Ukraine has long stated its intention to recapture the city but launched a surprise offensive much further north near Kharkiv in early October, routing Russian forces after Moscow decided to reinforce Kherson.
The southern city is difficult to defend, located north of the 2,200-kilometre-long Dnieper river. In recent months, Ukrainian forces have been damaging and destroying bridges supplying the Russians on the northern bank.
Analysts say a successful Ukrainian offensive in Kherson could trap around 20,000 Russian troops, including some of their best forces.
Gen Surovikin alleged that Ukraine planned to attack infrastructure, including a dam at a hydroelectric plant. He also said the Russian army would “provide for the already announced safe transportation of the population under the relocation programme”.
Russia was heavily criticised in May at the end of the siege of the southern port city of Mariupol, when the UN asked for a humanitarian corridor to be kept open to evacuate civilians.
The UN said Russia initially reneged on its commitment, shelling civilian areas during the evacuation. Gen Surovikin said that in the event of the anticipated battle in Kherson, his forces would take steps to protect civilians.
“Under these conditions, our priority is preserving the life and health of peaceful citizens,” he said.
“Our further actions and plans regarding the city of Kherson itself will depend on the military-tactic situation at hand. I will say this again: it is already very difficult as of today.”
Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-installed Kherson region chief, said the risk of attack by Ukrainian forces had led to a decision to evacuate some civilians from four towns.
“The Ukrainian side is building up forces for a large-scale offensive,” Mr Saldo said in a video statement.
The Russian military was preparing to repel the offensive, he said, and “where the military operates, there is no place for civilians”.
