Ukraine tells civilians to leave liberated areas before winter

Authorities urged residents of the two southern regions, which Russian forces have been shelling for months, to move to safer areas in the central and and western parts of the country.

A man looks at the Independent Square in Kyiv, Ukraine (Andrew Kravchenko/AP)

Ukrainian authorities have begun evacuating civilians from recently liberated sections of the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions – fearing a lack of heat, power and water due to Russian shelling will make living conditions too difficult this winter.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) concurred – saying millions face a “life-threatening” winter in Ukraine.