Ukrainians flee Russian shelling in Kherson

Ukrainians have flooded Kherson to escape Russian shelling, just weeks after Ukraine s recapture of the southern city.

A line of trucks, vans and cars had some towing trailers or ferrying out pets and other belongings stretched a kilometer or more on the outskirts of Kherson on Saturday, according to the Associated Press.

The days of intensive shelling by Russian forces prompted a bittersweet exodus: many civilians were happy that their city had been won back, but lamented that they couldn't stay.

It is sad that we are leaving our home, said Yevhen Yankov, as a van he was inched forward.

Svitlana Romanivna pointed out that she was poking her head out of the back.

Emilie Fourrey, emergency project coordinator for the Aid group Doctors Without Borders in Ukraine, said the evacuation of 400 patients of Kherson's psychiatric hospital had begun on Thursday and was set to continue in the coming days.

Russia has ratcheted up its attacks on critical infrastructure after suffering battlefield setbacks. A prominent Russian nationalist said on Saturday that the Russian military didn't have enough doctors to give a rare public admission of problems within the military.