Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday surveyed drills carried out by his nuclear-capable forces as Moscow pressed unfounded claims to India and China that Ukraine was developing a "dirty bomb."
A dirty bomb is a conventional bomb laced with radioactive, biological or chemical materials which are disseminated in an explosion.
He added: "We will continue vigorously bringing our point of view to the world community to encourage them to take active steps to prevent such irresponsible behavior." Russian-backed authorities in recent days urged residents to flee what they say is an oncoming onslaught. They claimed to have turned the city of Kherson into a "fortress," vowing to defend it at all costs.
Ukraine's capture of the Kherson region would give Kyiv back important access to the Sea of Azov. It would also cut off Moscow's land bridge to Russian-annexed Crimea.