Seven days into the attacks, Russian troops on Thursday seized Kherson, a strategic port on the west bank of the Dnieper River which controls the approaches to the Crimean peninsula
A view of heavy damage in the residential area of Borodyanka, on the outskirts of Kyiv. AP
After a week of attacks and bombs and missiles raining down, Russian troops on Wednesday seized control of Kherson, a key port city in southern Ukraine.
The mayor of Kherson, Ihor Kolykhaiev, said in a Facebook post on Thursday that Russian troops were in control of the city hall and that residents should obey a curfew imposed by what he called the “armed visitors”.
Follow all LIVE updates on the Russia-Ukraine conflict here
And even though reports state that there’s no signs of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces in Kherson, the locals of the city aren’t surrendering. As Yevhen Kochernov, speaking to The Star, said, “We have not surrendered. Our flag is still there in the square. It hasn’t been taken down.”
Will Kherson be able to stand up to the Russian forces? It seems unlikely.
Significance of Kherson
Kherson is a strategic port on the west bank of the Dnieper River which controls the approaches to the Crimean peninsula.
Taking control of the city, which is home to 300,000 people, is a significant victory for Russian president Vladimir Putin.
The following map shows the locations of known Russian military strikes and ground attacks inside Ukraine after Russia announced a military invasion of Ukraine. AP
Experts in an Al Jazeera report have said that if the major port of Odesa, Ukraine’s third-largest city is overtaken by the Russia, it would cut Ukraine’s access to the Black Sea.
“It’s the biggest seaport; 70 per cent of Ukraine’s exports go through the sea,” noted Hanna Shelest, director of security programmes at the Ukrainian Prism think-tank, signifying that Russia is attempting to cut off Ukraine’s economy.
The fall of Kherson, according to Michael Clarke of the Royal United Services Institute, was a strategic loss to Ukraine. Speaking to The Guardian, he was quoted as saying that Russian forces were attempting to build “a land bridge” across the southern territory which he suggested they would then ultimately attempt to link to the northern front around the capital Kyiv.
“Kherson is very important because it is the city that controls the water supply to the Crimea,” said Clarke in an online briefing.
What’s happening inside Kherson?
Now, that we have understood the significance of the city and the consequences of its takeover, which the Americans say is contested, let’s understand what has happened since the Russian troops marched in.
Kolykhaiev, the mayor of Kherson, said that Russian soldiers were in the city and came to the city administration building.
In his Facebook post, he wrote that he asked them not to shoot civilians and to allow crews to gather up the bodies from the streets.
“I simply asked them not to shoot at people,” he said in a statement.
“We don’t have any Ukrainian forces in the city, only civilians and people here who want to LIVE.”
According to reported information, Russians started shelling residential buildings and firing at civilians’ vehicles and local residents. Local reporters said that over 40 people had died – among them both territorial defence fighters and civilians.
Russian troops also stormed the premises of the local branch of Suspilne {Ukrainian media and broadcasting organisation}, but reports stated that there were no staff on the site.
Russian troops have also blocked the Chornobavska poultry factory and its three million chickens. There is currently no electricity at the factory, and staff are not allowed to feed the chickens.
Supermarkets and liquor stores bear a deserted look with no products on shelves.
A resident from Kherson told CNN that the town is suffering a severe lack of food and medicine — particularly insulin — with pharmacies being looted. Reports have emerged that over 600 people with diabetes are struggling in the Holoprystan district, owing to the lack of insulin.
Kherson resident Yaroslav Kontsevyi told CNN that Russian occupants have placed checkpoints and sniper points in key places of the city.
Kontsevyi said the Russian occupants were stopping civilian Ukrainian men and asking them if they were going to fight on the Russian or Ukrainian side in case of mobilization.
Another local resident also noted that there had been a significant amount of looting by Russian troops, and said that Russian soldiers had been seen arresting men.
The situation is dire in Kherson, but as Vladimir Putin told French president Emmanuel Macron over the phone on Thursday: “The worst is yet to come.”
With inputs from agencies
Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News,
India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.