Ukraine cuts off Kherson from mobile communications & Internet; restoration work underway

Amid the relentless war with Russia, the Ukrainian government has disconnected the Russian-occupied Kherson region from mobile communications and the Internet. This was announced by Oleg Kryuchkov - the adviser to the head of the Crimea. He stated that Ukraine has disconnected the Kherson region from mobile communications and the Internet, thereby defiantly abandoning these territories. However, he further added that work is underway to restore these facilities. "The problem will be solved as Donetsk and Crimean operators are working on it," Kryuchkov added, RIA Novosti news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the Ukrainian officials claimed that occupiers have cut off communications and the Internet in some parts of the Zaporizhia regions. "The reasons for the lack of communication were interruptions of fibre-optic trunk lines and disconnection from the power supply of equipment of operators in the region. Work is already underway to restore the communication," the officials said in a statement," Ukrinfrom reported.

Earlier, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed that the Kherson region is completely under the control of its armed forces. Meanwhile, the local authorities have ruled out any possibility of returning the region back to Ukraine's control in near future. The head of the region also blamed the Kyiv regime for abandoning the Kherson region. According to Russian state media, the region will also move to ruble payments from Sunday, May 1. Deputy Chairman of the Civil-Military Administration of the region, Kirill Stremousov, stated that the transition period will take up to four months. In the transition period, both ruble and Ukrainian hryvnia will be in circulation. 

Russia claims to have thwarted a major missile attack on Kherson

Earlier on April 28, Russia claimed that its air defences foiled a major missile attack on Kherson residential areas by Ukrainian soldiers using Tochka-U ballistic missiles. According to Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov, Ukrainian troops launched a massive missile strike on residential areas housing kindergartens, schools, and other social institutions in the central section of Kherson. He further added that air defence systems in Izyum, Kharkiv region, thwarted a Ukrainian ballistic missile attack on residential areas, with the target being the municipal hospital, where a Russian medical detachment is stationed.

Power supply restored in Chornobyl Exclusion Zone: Ukraine

Meanwhile, Ukraine's national grid operator stated that the power supply has been restored to the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone, which surrounds the 1986 nuclear reactor disaster. "In the afternoon, the last necessary 330 kV power transmission line was put into operation,” the state-owned Ukrenergo wrote in a Telegram post on Saturday, April 30. It further stated that another 330 kV line was also restored in the northern Kyiv region, assisting in the stabilisation of the capital's energy supply.

Image: ANI/AP