It might be a provocation: Ukraine's Armed Forces comment on disappearance of Russian flag from Kherson Oblast State Administration building

The disappearance of the Russian flag from the building of the Oblast State Administration in Kherson could be a hoax to create the impression that the occupiers are leaving settlements in the south of Ukraine.

Source: Natalia Humeniuk, Head of the United Coordinating Press Centre of the Defence Forces of Southern Ukraine, on the national joint 24/7 newscast.

Quote: "This might be a provocation in order to create the impression that they have left the settlements and it is safe to enter them. Considering the fact that they have been preparing for street fighting for a long time and the way they are positioning their units, we are aware that this might be a planned tactical action, and we should not be too quick to rejoice. We have to understand that hybrid war involves hoaxes like these, attacks that can be calculated to weaken the troops."

Details: According to Humeniuk, despite the fact that the enemy is creating the illusion of total evacuation, Ukrainian defence forces are monitoring military manoeuvres in the territories temporarily occupied by the Russians in order to "create some properly constructed defence for themselves".

She noted that Russian regular units, wearing civilian clothes, remain deployed in Kherson. "They continue to settle not only in the Oblast centre, but also in other settlements in the homes of people who have left," Humeniuk said.

Background:

• On the morning of 3 November, Yurii Sobolevskyi, First Deputy Head of Kherson Oblast Council, and local media reported that the flag of the Russian Federation had disappeared from the Oblast State Administration building.
• According to Defence Intelligence of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, collaborators and members of the occupying administration are moving to the Arabat Spit, which is located further south, deeper into the occupiers’ "rear".

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