Putin says civilians in Ukraine's Kherson should evacuate

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that civilians in the Ukrainian region of Kherson which Russia declared it had annexed in September must be evacuated from the conflict zone, state-owned news agency RIA reported.

RIA quoted Putin as saying during a meeting with pro-Kremlin activists: "Now, of course, those who live in Kherson should be removed from the zone of the most dangerous actions, because the civilian population should not suffer".