ISW: Russia is likely expediting efforts to forcibly depopulate areas of Kherson Oblast, place Russian soldiers instead
The Institute for the Study of War reports on Oct. 29 that Russian officials have given residents of Kherson a two-day eviction notice and introduced intensified inspection and verification checkpoints at roadblocks on the routes to Russian-occupied Crimea.
The experts also cite reports of Russian forces forcibly relocating civilians from Nova Kakhovka and Russian soldiers changing into civilian clothes and moving into private residences in the city of Beryslav.
"International law considers the 'simulation of civilian status' to constitute a resort to perfidy, which is a violation of the laws of armed conflict," the ISW says. "Russia may be using resort-to-perfidy tactics to depopulate areas of Kherson Oblast and repopulate them with soldiers in civilian dress in order to set conditions to accuse Ukraine of striking civilian targets when attacking Russian military positions."
