Russian forces hunker down in forests on Dnipro's left bank in Kherson region - political scientist

He said this on Espreso TV. 

"The occupiers are entrenched in the settlements of Krynky and Kozachi Laheri, that is, on the left bank along the Dnipro. There are forests there, and they can hide well and hit with artillery from there. The Russian forces consider the direction to the village of Lvove, which is located west of Beryslav, to be the most dangerous for them. They believe that the advancement of Ukraine's Armed Forces and a strike from the north are likely there. Therefore, artillery is deployed to neutralize a possible breakthrough. They have a reliable defense in the Beryslav direction. What cannot be said about the defense of the central part of their front," Molchanov said. 

According to him, the central flank causes the biggest doubts among the Russian forces. 

"The eastern flank is a line of defense prepared by the Russian forces between Mylove and Borozenske. The central flank is from Borozenske to Inhulets. From Snihurivka to Stanislav is their left flank. The defense of the occupiers used to be based on the Inhulets River, but now they are forced to retreat and build a rear line. That's why I don't fall into euphoria that the enemy is retreating," Molchanov emphasized.

• The head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration warns civilians against "evacuation" to Russia, because given the success of Ukraine's Armed Forces, the Russian forces want to take Ukrainians hostage and cover themselves as human shields. 

• On October 19, the head of the Mykolaiv Regional Administration, Vitalii Kim, warned that the Russian forces were preparing provocations with the shelling of Kherson. 

• Volodymyr Saldo, the Kremlin-appointed head of the occupation authorities of the Kherson region, said that all units of the "administration" of the Kherson region are moving to the left bank of the Dnipro river.