Russia claims control of southern Ukrainian city of Kherson

Russia claims control of southern Ukrainian city of Kherson

Defence ministry says talks are under way between Russian army and local authorities on maintaining order. The Russian army has claimed it has taken control of the strategically important city of Kherson in southern Ukraine as Moscow’s invasion of the country entered its seventh day. “The Russian divisions of the armed forces have taken the regional centre of Kherson under full control,” defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in televised remarks on Wednesday.

He claimed that public services and transport were operating as usual. “The city is not experiencing shortages of food and essential goods,” he said. He added that talks were under way between the Russian army and local authorities on maintaining order, protecting the population and keeping public services functioning.

Kherson’s Mayor Igor Nikolayev, however, said in a post on Facebook: “We are still Ukraine. Still firm.”

Apparently contradicting the Russian army’s claims, he said he needed to find a way to “collect the [bodies of the] dead” and “restore electricity, gas, water and heating where they are damaged”. “But I warn you right away: To complete these tasks today means to perform a miracle,” he added.