Kherson referendum on annexation to Russia has been postponed by the Russian military authorities, who cite security concerns.
A town located around 167 kilometers (104 miles) north of the center Kherson, Vysokopillya, has reportedly been recovered by Ukrainian forces, according to the announcement.
The recapture of the area is a result of a counteroffensive in the south that the Ukrainian army started last week.
The Russian proposals for a referendum in occupied Kherson and other territories have been condemned as illegitimate by Ukraine and its Western allies.
Kirill Stremousov, the deputy leader of the Russian-appointed government in Kherson, stated that the decision to delay the referendum was made due to the security situation.
Speaking on Russian state television, Mr. Stremousov claimed that Ukrainian shelling had seriously damaged Kherson’s Antonovskiy Bridge, rendering it impassable to cars.
According to him, Ukrainian fire was also being directed towards the city’s infrastructure and the boats that carried civilians over the Dnieper (Dnipro) river.
According to him, intense Ukrainian shelling rendered a crucial Kherson bridge inoperable.
The bridge has been used by the Russians to transport personnel and equipment into and out of Kherson.
Referendums are being planned in Kherson and the southern Zaporizhzhia region, which is mostly under Russian control.
In an effort to force the Russians out of Kherson, the first city to fall to them following their invasion on February 24, Ukraine has just deployed US-made Himars multiple rocket launchers.
In 2014, Crimea was seized by Russia, and a referendum was conducted there, although it was not recognized internationally.
