October 24, 2022 Russia-Ukraine news | CNN

Russia is bringing new army items into Kherson because it prepares to defend the town from any recent Ukrainian offensive, the top of Ukraine’s Protection Intelligence Company mentioned in an interview with Kyiv-based information web site Ukrainska Pravda.

Maj. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov mentioned that, whereas Moscow was transferring injured individuals, money and the Russian-installed administrative authorities and monetary establishments out of the town, it was placing extra troops in.

“[Russian bank] Promsvyazbank and different monetary constructions that the Russians introduced there are being taken out,” Budanov mentioned.

“They’re taking out money, [internet] servers, the so-called occupation authorities … All of the non-walking, critically injured are being taken out, they’re attempting to discharge those that can stroll as quickly as doable from hospitals … They create the phantasm that all the things is misplaced,” added Budanov.

“And on the identical time, quite the opposite, they convey new army items there and put together the streets of the town for protection.”

Budanov mentioned Moscow was performing out of concern that Ukrainian troops may retake the vital Kakhovka dam, which lies to the east of Kherson, and encircle its troops within the metropolis. 

“They perceive that if we take not less than management over the Kakhovka dam … they must decide in a short time. Both [they will have to] very, in a short time depart the town and get out, or they danger ending up in the identical scenario that our items in Mariupol discovered themselves in earlier,” he mentioned.

“Understanding all this, they’re making ready the bottom in order that, if needed, they will get out of there in a short time. Nevertheless, they aren’t making ready to depart now. They’re making ready to defend.”

Budanov repeated allegations that the Russians had “partially mined” the dam.

He mentioned he didn’t imagine Russian forces would fully destroy it, as a result of doing so would flood a lot of the Kherson area and reduce off the water provide to annexed Crimea and the Zaporizhzhia nuclear energy plant.

“In different phrases, when you make an entire destruction, then the situation is as follows. Are they prepared for it? I don’t assume so,” he mentioned.