Russian-backed authorities order immediate evacuation of Kherson as Ukrainians advance

Russian-installed authorities have ordered all residents of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson to leave "immediately" ahead of an expected advance by Ukrainian troops waging a counter-offensive to recapture the occupied area.

In a Telegram post, the regional pro-Kremlin administration called on civilians to use boat crossings over the Dnieper River to move deeper into Russian-held territory, citing a tense situation on the front and the threat of shelling and alleged "terror attacks" by Kyiv.

Kherson has been in Russian hands since the early days of the invasion in February.

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The city is the capital of a region of the same name, one of four illegally annexed by Russian President Vladimir Putin last month.

The region's Kremlin-backed authorities previously announced plans to evacuate all Russian-appointed officials and as many as 60,000 civilians across the river, in what local leader Volodymyr Saldo said would be an "organised, gradual displacement".

Ukrainian officials have urged local residents to resist attempts to relocate them, with one local official alleging that Moscow wanted to take civilians hostage and use them as human shields.