Kirill Stremousov, the Russian-installed deputy administrator of the Kherson region, said in a Telegram message posted late Tuesday that, "in the very near future, the battle for Kherson will begin."
"The civilian population is advised to leave the area of future fierce hostilities, if possible, so as not to expose themselves to unnecessary risk," Stremousov added.
Moscow's new army commander in Ukraine announced on Tuesday that civilians were being evacuated from the Russian-occupied southern city of Kherson, describing the military situation as tense.
"The enemy is constantly trying to attack Russian troop positions," Sergei Surovikin said in his first television interview since being appointed earlier this month, adding that the situation was particularly difficult around the occupied southern city of Kherson.