According to the Ukrainian general staff, Russia is preparing a “referendum” in the conquered city of Cherson on the establishment of a “people’s republic” favorable to Moscow. The invading army is trying to control areas in southern Ukraine with “civilian-military administrations”, the general staff said late on Thursday.
The pattern would be similar to the breakaway regions of Donetsk and Luhansk in eastern Ukraine, now recognized by Russia as independent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently spoke of the danger of such a “vote”.
Staff warns of cruise missile threat
The “referendum” should lead to the establishment of a quasi-state “People’s Republic of Cherson”, announced the Ukrainian general staff. The information is not independently verifiable. Strategically important Kherson, with nearly 300,000 inhabitants, plays an important role in protecting the southwestern port city of Odessa.
The General Staff also warned, among other things, of an ongoing threat from cruise missiles on Russian ships in the Black Sea. For example, the frigate “Admiral Makarov” at the Sevastopol naval base on the annexed Crimean peninsula was retrofitted with “Caliber” missiles.
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Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) appealed to Russia to allow escape corridors and aid for civilians in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol, which is in trouble and badly damaged. She is calling on the Russian government to “enable safe corridors for civilians to voluntarily evacuate and deliver humanitarian aid to those who are unable or unwilling to stay,” she said, according to a statement from the Federal Foreign Ministry. “The attacks must be stopped immediately. International humanitarian law must be observed”.
According to its own statements, Russia has offered a ceasefire in Mariupol for the evacuation of civilians for this Thursday from 10 am (9 am CEST). The Ukrainian side had until 6 am on Thursday (5 am CEST) to declare a ceasefire and inform Russia, the United Nations and the International Red Cross in writing, it said. Ukraine and Russia have repeatedly accused each other of sabotaging the flight of Mariupol residents.
Baerbock said he would not lose sight of the plight of these people for a moment. More than 100,000 civilians are still trapped in the southern Ukrainian city, including children, women, men and the elderly. “They have been living an unimaginable nightmare for weeks without electricity, without water, without heating in a city that is constantly being ravaged by Russian bombs, rockets and bombs. Russia seems determined to conquer the city or destroy it, no matter the human cost.”