About half a million people live under occupation in Kherson Oblast, and 600 Ukrainians are held captive

450-500 thousand people, which constitute half of the region's population, remain in occupied territories of Kherson Oblast. More than 600 Ukrainians are being held captive by Russian forces, including activists and participants in the war in the Donbas, said Governor of Kherson Oblast Hennadiy Lahuta at a press conference at the Ukraine Media Center.

The region still suffers from a shortage of medicines and communication problems. Russian forces are actively exporting food and medicines from the region to Crimea. "The situation is critical. The enemy has not opened a single official humanitarian corridor since the first days. This situation has been going on for four months now," says the Governor.

The occupation administration in Kherson Oblast is forcing doctors and teachers to cooperate using blackmail. At the same time, Lahuta notes that an active guerrilla movement is operating in the region. In particular, three Russian service members were shot dead in a restaurant in Kherson.

The Governor urged people to leave the region even though the occupied territories, if possible. But he reminded that danger remains: earlier, there had been cases of shelling of the evacuation columns trying to leave the region.

Earlier, the Governor also said that leaving temporarily occupied territories of Kherson Oblast through Crimea iccupied by Russia is illegal. Still, now it is the only possible way as there are no humanitarian corridors for the population.

The situation in the region remains difficult as Russian troops block the delivery of humanitarian goods from Ukraine-controlled territory. In recent weeks, Ukrainian troops have been actively counterattacking in the region, liberating some settlements of the region. But Russian forces continuously shell the liberated territories.