Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Russian Forces Capture Ukrainian Port City Kherson, Local Officials Confirm

The Russian troops are yet to overthrow the government in Kyiv, however, thousands are reported to have died or been injured in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

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New Delhi: After conflicting claims on the capture of Ukraine's Kherson city, local officials on Wednesday confirmed that the Russian forces have taken the strategic port city.

Kherson is the first major urban centre to fall since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his "special military operation" against Ukraine last week.

"The (Russian) occupiers are in all parts of the city and are very dangerous," Gennady Lakhuta, head of the regional administration, wrote on Telegram late Wednesday, as reported by news agency AFP.

Previously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's office told The Associated Press (AP) that the fighting around the port city of Kherson was still occurring, which Russian officials claimed complete control.

However, the mayor of Kherson, Igor Kolykhaev, said that Russian soldiers were in the city and came to the city administration building. He asked them not to shoot civilians and to allow them to gather up the bodies from the streets, he added.

The strategic port city near the Black Sea was captured as Russian forces continued their offensive across other urban centres.

As per AFP, another key Ukrainian port, Berdiansk, had fallen to Russian troops earlier. On the other hand, Mariupol has repelled attacks "with dignity," city mayor Vadim Boichenko said.

In the offensive, Russian forces have also bombarded Ukraine's second-biggest city Kharkiv. 

Ukrainian capital Kyiv has been able to withstand the assault so far. Meanwhile, thousands are reported to have died or been injured in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

(With Inputs From Agencies)

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