Ekaterina Gubareva, the deputy head of the Kherson regional administration, relayed to Sputnik that the city of Kherson and roads to the city are being reinforced to prepare for a worst-case scenario of Ukrainian troops breaking through into the city.  

"Kherson and its approaches are being reinforced in case of a breakthrough of Ukrainian troops. The first floors of buildings are being fortified everywhere, fortifications made of sandbags are being built to defend and repel attacks within the city," Gubareva stated.

A preventive measure, according to Gubareva, would be to fortify and strengthen city defenses, and the low number of residents as a result of evacuation will facilitate the process of identifying those who back Ukrainian forces and sabotage groups. "Evacuation of people from the city is also a kind of reinforcement. First, we reduce the burden on logistics. Second, the absence of civilians gives our army the upper hand to some extent because no one worries that a schoolchild or an old woman coming from a market will be hit by heavy fire," Gubareva noted.

On October 18, Sergei Surovikin, the general of the Russian armed forces and the commander of all units in the special military operation zone said that the Kherson region is highly dangerous for its residents to remain there as Ukrainian forces are deliberately targeting civilian apartment buildings, houses, and infrastructure. The general said there was intel about the possibility of Ukraine preparing a missile strike on the dam of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power station.

The Kherson Region Health Ministry reported earlier this month on its Telegram channel that five people were killed as a result of a Ukrainian attack on a civilian bus in the region.