Russian forces seize control of Ukraine’s port city of Kherson

Europe, News March 4, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

Russia captures Ukraine’s strategic city as fighting intensifies in other regions

Russian troops have captured the southern Ukrainian port city of Kherson a week after Moscow invaded Ukraine. Kherson is the first city in Ukraine to fall to the Russians after a string of military setbacks.

Kherson’s Mayor Igor Kolykhaiev confirmed Russian forces had landed in the city in a Facebook post on Wednesday as Russia-Ukraine war enters its eighth day. “There were armed visitors in the city council today. My team and I are peaceful people, we had no weapons or aggression on our side.”

“I made no promises to them. i just have nothing to promise. I am only interested in the normal life of our city! I just asked not to shoot people. We don’t have Ukrainian Armed Forces in the city, only civilians and people who want to live here.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to achieve his goals in Ukraine “no matter what,” according to Kremlin. Putin ordered his troops to invade Ukraine to “de-militarize” the country.

Kherson – a stategic city

Kherson, a city of 300,000, is strategically located along the economically critical Black Sea coast. A curfew was reportedly imposed by the Russian forces following Kherson’s fall. After capturing the city, Russian forces pushed towards another important port city, Mykolaiv, the city’s mayor said.

Russian forces took control of Kherson as other Ukrainian cities including Kyiv and Kharkiv saw increasing bombardment.

If Ukraine falls European states are next, Zelenskyy warns

Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy appealed Western powers to deliver more military aid to his country, warning that Russia’s military will not stop at Ukraine’s borders. “If we [Ukraine] are no more then, God forbid, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia will be next,” he added.

Zelenskiy has called for direct talks with Putin saying it was “the only way to stop this war”.

*^{Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy holds a press conference on Russia’s military operation in Ukraine, on February 25, 2022. (Image Credit: Presidency of Ukraine/Handout/Anadolu Agency)}*

Ukraine has claimed its forces have killed more than 7,000 Russian troops. Russia says 498 of its troops have been killed in Ukraine since February 24. Neither figures have been independently verified.

Over 1 million people have fled the destruction in Ukraine, according to United Nations refugee agency. Experts have warned that the conflict could become Europe’s worst humanitarian crisis in the coming days.