Where is Kherson? First major Ukrainian city falls as Russia continues bombing
The Russia - Ukraine conflict is reaching new developments as the city of Kherson is now captured by Russia. This was one of the biggest and the contested cities of Ukraine, [which is now under the control of Russians. The mayor of the city, Ihor Kolykhaiev, confirmed the news via Facebook and urged citizens to obey the orders of Russian armed forces. The city was under fierce bomb shelling and missile eruptions on Wednesday, it was almost clear that by Thursday morning the Russians would have invaded the city.
Kherson, home to 290,000 people, is 300 miles south of Kyiv. Kyiv was also coming under attack in the early hours of Thursday, with a bright explosion booming across the city around 2 am. The port city of Odessa, 125 miles west of Kherson, was also bracing for an attack after Vladimir Putin's warships were seen leaving Crimea on Wednesday night.
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Kherson, like Odessa, is strategically important, sitting on an inlet of the Black Sea, 260 miles west of the separatist enclave of Donetsk. The mayor of Kherson, earlier on Wednesday insisted the city remained under Ukrainian control, but it has now fallen. Earlier on Thursday morning, the Ukrainian President gave a status update for the citizens and appreciated the resilience of its citizens. He also claimed that the Russian soldiers who came to invade their country were almost clueless.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, through the Facebook video, said, "'We are a people who in a week have destroyed the plans of the enemy,' he said, in the clip posted on social media. 'They will have no peace here. They will have no food. They will have not one quiet moment here.' Zelensky did not comment on whether the Russians had seized several cities, including Kherson. 'If they went somewhere, then only temporarily. We'll drive them out,' he said. He said the fighting is taking a toll on the morale of Russian soldiers, who 'go into grocery stores and try to find something to eat.'
Video clips shared on social media showed the Russian forces looted towns as they passed. Some claimed that the Russians who were captured were found with rations on them which had expired in 2015. Western officials have reportedly said they believe some of the young Russian troops do not want to fight and are sabotaging their vehicles, puncturing the gas tanks. 'These are not warriors of a superpower,' said Zelensky in his video message. 'These are confused children who have been used.' He said the Russian death toll has reached about 9,000. 'Ukraine doesn't want to be covered in bodies of soldiers,' he said. 'Go home.' Further updates on the matter is yet to come, but the Russian invasion continues to progress.