The Russian-imposed deputy governor of Kherson, Kirill Stremousov, who had confirmed a 24-hour curfew «in order to defend the city», has deleted the video confirming it and has re-launched a similar publication but in which he avoids talking about the emergency measure.
Stremousov had launched this Friday a publication on his Telegram channel where he assured that «terrorist attacks are possible», thus calling on the population to «give the military the opportunity to continue the denazification and demilitarization of Ukraine».
This text was accompanied by a video in which, according to official Russian news agencies, Stremousov spoke of imposing a 24-hour curfew in the capital of the region, also named Kherson.
However, some time later, the pro-Russian vice-governor has deleted the mentioned publication to share another one with a similar content but in which he did not mention the emergency measure.
Moreover, Stremousov stated on this occasion that «in the city of Kherson there are no restrictions limiting the life of the city», and stressed that although law enforcement agencies continue to «work», «normal life goes on», reports TASS.
The announcement of the emergency measure, and subsequent rectification, comes in a context marked by a new order issued this Friday by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, for a new evacuation of Kherson in response to the major counteroffensive launched by the Ukrainian forces.
Russia completed a first phase of the evacuation a week ago, but a few days later the pro-Russian authorities decided to extend the evacuation perimeter by an additional 15 kilometers.
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Army continues to advance in the region, annexed to Russia at the end of September after a referendum not recognized by a large part of the international community, and even announced that the Russian flag had stopped flying on the facade of the provincial administration building.
However, the authorities in Kiev remarked already on Thursday that they did not quite trust the announced Russian withdrawal, and did not rule out that Moscow could be plotting some «trick» to force some kind of «provocation» that would serve to accuse Ukraine of attacking the civilian population.
