Russia deals another blow, Ukraine's first major city falls

After a day of fierce fighting south of the city of Kherson, near Crimea, Russia claims to have control of the entire city.

Russian tanks have rolled into the Black Sea port city since the beginning of the week, participating in fierce battles for Kherson with Ukrainian forces.

According to Reuters news agency, the mayor of Kherson city, Igor Kolykhaev, and a senior Ukrainian government official confirmed on March 2 that Kherson had "fallen".

Kolykhaev said Russian troops had surrounded the city of Kherson and, after days of intense fighting, Ukrainian forces had withdrawn to the nearby city of Mykolaiv.

Mayor Kolykhaev said in an interview: "There are no more Ukrainian troops here. The city is under siege."

Just hours earlier, Ukrainian officials had announced the city's government was still functioning, while Mayor Kolykhaev said Kherson was still "waiting for a miracle".

Kolykhaev said that about 10 Russian armed officers, including the commander, entered the town hall and there are plans to establish a Russian administrative center in Kherson.

Kolykhaiev was informed by Russian officers that he would create a new administrative unit in Kherson, similar to the two eastern breakaway regions, according to the New York Times.

Kolykhaiev expressed his wish to the Russian side to ensure the normal life of the people in Kherson, as well as that Russian forces do not threaten civilians.

There are a number of new regulations enacted in Kherson after Russia took control of the city, including a curfew and restrictions on vehicles entering and leaving the city.

"People only go out in groups of up to two. Do not incite soldiers to patrol the streets," Mr. Kolykhaiev said.

Kherson is a strategically important city and an important port on the Black Sea and on the Dneper River. The fall of Kherson could be a turning point in the conflict, marking the first major Ukrainian city to come under the control of Russian forces. Taking control of Kherson, Russian forces would have a springboard to the west to attack Odessa, a city of greater strategic value.

The department stated that civilian infrastructure in Kherson is operating normally, with no reports of shortages of food or other essential items. The city government and the Russian military have engaged in negotiations on how to ensure public order and safety in the region.

During a briefing on March 2, the Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that Kherson was under control. The ministry also confirmed the attack on Ukraine's communications infrastructure including the TV tower in Kiev.

In the past 24 hours, Russian forces in Ukraine have attacked more than 60 different military sites, bringing the total destroyed Ukrainian military infrastructure to more than 1,500, said Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Gen. Igor Konashenkov said.

After the fall of Kherson, the port cities of Odessa and Mariupol are the next two targets in the Russian military campaign in Ukraine. Kiev and Kharkiv city are still recording fierce fighting.

Many residents who had entrenched themselves in the capital Kiev in the early days of the war have now tried to flee the city in panic as a division of the Russian army approaches Kiev and air raids shake the cities. suburbs just outside the city.

Looking at the clips that are circulating on social media, you can see families, children, the elderly and the disabled trying to get on the packed trains that left the city on March 1. Many people think this could be the last chance to escape the city when Russia is tight on the outside.

However, the men of combat age were ordered to stay in Ukraine to fight the Russians.

One woman said while hugging her dog: "It's been a great tragedy for me to leave my city. Actually I don't know if I'll ever come back. I don't want to leave but very much. It's dangerous to stay here."

Two-thirds of a million people have left Ukraine while countless others are sheltering underground. Many people do not have clean water to drink because the water source is bombed.

US President Joe Biden on the evening of March 1 in his State of the Union address told Americans that Russia will "pay the price" for the attack on Ukraine.

Người Việt tháo chạy khỏi Ukraine: Không biết tương lai ra sao Nắng15:13:06 03/03/2022Nhiều người Việt tại Ukraine chung tâm trạng lo lắng và ngạc nhiên khi chiến sự xảy ra tại đất nước này. Họ mong Nga và Ukraine sớm đàm phán để kết thúc giao tranh. Trong bối cảnh chiến sự ở Ukraine vẫn tiếp tục gia tăng căng thẳng, Ủy ban Nhà nước...