Russia Conquers First Ukraine City, Kherson Mayor Working To Secure His People

Kherson City Falls To Russia On 3 Mar

Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine has been one of the worst international crises the world has seen in recent years.

On the 7th day of the invasion, Russia has claimed the city of Kherson, one of Ukraine’s major urban cities.

Kherson is a strategically important port situated in the middle of Kharkiv. It is the first major urban centre Russia has taken over, marking a new level of severity in the invasion.

Talks are currently underway between the Russian army and the local authorities on maintaining order within the city.

Troops from Russia claim control of Kherson

On Wednesday (2 Mar), Reuters reports that Russian forces claimed to have attacked and taken the city of Kherson.

The mayor of Kherson, Igor Kolykhayev, initially denied the takeover in a Facebook post, stating that the city was ‘still Ukraine’.

However, Mr Kolykhayev later confirmed in a separate post that Russian forces have occupied the area.

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“There were armed visitors in the city council today,” Kolykhaev writes.

We have shown that we are working to secure the city and are trying to eliminate the consequences of the invasion.

Kolykhaev also shared several rules for the people of Kherson to follow on his Facebook page to avoid conflict with the Russian military:

1. Citizens can only enter the city during the day.
2. Curfew of 8pm-6am must be observed.
3. Only cars carrying food, medicines, and other essentials can enter the city. Driver must prepare for random inspections.
4. Workers in essential businesses, such as bakeries and pharmacies, can use public transport to get to work.
5. Pedestrians should walk in groups of up to 2. If any military personnel stops them, they should halt at once.

Casualties in Kherson from Russian invasion

The takeover of Kherson has resulted in a huge number of casualties for both civilians and military personnel.

Kharkiv, inside of which Kherson is located, was bombed heavily by Russian forces on Wednesday (2 March).

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Russian forces then moved into Kherson. In the ensuing battle, thousands were left wounded, and the city’s resources were depleted.

Kolykhaev confirms this on his Facebook account, in a post where he requests for a “green corridor” so that the wounded and dead can be transported securely.

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The invasion of Ukraine has caused massive destruction and casualties thus far. The UN Human Rights Office has confirmed the deaths of 227 civilians.

The actual death toll, they caution, may be much higher.

Resolution to the Russian invasion is necessary

The invasion of Ukraine is a humanitarian disaster. The takeover of Kherson is just one of the many consequences of this conflict.

There has been an international outcry against the invasion, with many nations imposing sanctions on Russia. 141 out of 393 members supported a UN resolution reprimanding Moscow for the attack on Wednesday (2 Mar).

The second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine in search of a resolution to the crisis will take place today (3 Mar). Hopefully, both parties can announce a ceasefire soon, avoiding further casualties.

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Featured image adapted from Times of Israel.