Ukraine starts counter-offensive in Kherson

Ukrainian forces attacked the city of Kherson on Thursday and Moscow-appointed authorities said that the regional administration had left the city. Ukrainian forces were surrounding the area. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West of seeking world domination and said helping Ukraine was part of those efforts. As the battle unfolded, Putin said Moscow had no intention of using nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

What’s happening to civilians? More than 70,000 people have fled the Kherson city area. One civilian said people only stayed if they had nowhere else to go. The region hasn't had power for a month, as the Russian strategy has been to target energy plants across the country. Kyiv regional Gov. Oleksiy Kuleba said the attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure before winter is a way to “terrorize civilians.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had destroyed 30 percent of the country’s energy infrastructure.

Dig deeper: Read Evgeny Kosykh’s report in World Tour on Russians defying conscription decree.