Kherson has been captured by Russian forces during the invasion of Ukraine, according to Russia's defence ministry.
Kherson, located in the south of the country, is said to be 'completely surrounded' by Russian troops, according to the city's mayor. This comes off the back of intensified attacks, with shelling across the country overnight, as Vladimir Putin's 'special military operation' enters its seventh day.
However, there are conflicting reports regarding the state of Kherson; while Russia's defence ministry claims its armed forces have taken complete control of the city, which would be the largest city to fall to Russian troops so far, this has yet to be fully verified.
'The Russian divisions of the armed forces have taken the regional centre of Kherson under full control,' defence ministry spokesperson Igor Konashenkov said.
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'The fighting is going on now, and the occupation of our city is under way,’ mayor Igor Kolykhayev told local radio, as per Sky News. However, he also posted on Facebook, 'We are still Ukraine. Still firm.'
Should Russian troops seize Kherson, it could pave the way for renewed drives onto Odesa and Mykolaiv, BBC News reports, which would be detrimental to Ukraine's port access.
The situation in Kherson follows a number of attacks: yesterday, March 1, a Kyiv TV tower attack resulted in the deaths of five people; in Zhytomyr, a strike aimed for an airbase reportedly hit homes and a maternity hospital, killing at least two people; and in Kharkiv, which has bore the brunt of heavy bombardment in the past 24 hours, at least 21 people have been killed.
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According to the UK's Ministry of Defence, Russia's gains in Kherson don't reflect the overall invasion. 'While Russian forces have reportedly moved into the centre of Kherson in the south, overall gains across axes have been limited in the last 24 hours,' a spokesperson said.
'This is probably due to a combination of ongoing logistical difficulties and strong Ukrainian resistance. Heavy Russian artillery and air strikes have continued to target built-up areas over the past 24 hours, primarily focused on the cities of Kharkiv, Kyiv, Mariupol and Chernihiv.'
Corroborating earlier estimates, approximately 660,000 civilians have been displaced by the conflict and have been forced to flee the country to neighbouring states.
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If you would like to donate to the Red Cross Emergency Appeal, which will help provide food, medicines and basic medical supplies, shelter and water to those in Ukraine, click here for more information
Topics: Russia, Ukraine, World News
