Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Wednesday that Russian military units have taken full control of the Ukrainian regional center of Kherson.
Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said that Kherson’s infrastructure, support facilities, and urban transport are operating on a daily basis.
“The city does not face shortages of food and essential goods. Negotiations between the Russian command, the administration of the city, and the region are under way to address issues of maintaining the functioning of social infrastructure facilities, ensuring law and order, as well as the safety of the population”, Konashenkov stressed.
He also said that forces from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (DPR and LPR) are continuing their successful offensive on the Ukrainian Army.
“LPR forces, with fire support from the Russian armed forces, are continuing successful offensive operations as they have seized control over the settlements of Starobelsk and Svatovo. Since the start of [Russia’s] special military operation, the depth of advance has been 75 kilometers”, Konashenkov noted.
According to him, DPR forces have also expanded their offensive zone, establishing control over the settlements of Kalinovka, Lebedinskoye, Pionerskoye, Nikolayevka, and Osipenko.
“Since the start of the operation, DPR forces have advanced by 58 kilometers”, the Russian Defense Ministry spokesman pointed out.
He added that the Russian military is now taking control of the settlements of Tokmak and Vasilyevka, where Ukrainian Army servicemen earlier gave up resistance and voluntarily laid down their arms.
“After they sign pledges obliging them to refuse to participate in hostilities, these Ukrainian servicemen will return to their families”, Konashenkov said.
On Thursday, Russia began a special operation to demilitarise and “de-Nazify” Ukraine, responding to calls for help from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics in countering intensifying attacks by the Ukrainian Army.
Russia’s Defense Ministry has repeatedly stressed that its forces have not launched any strikes on Ukrainian cities, only targeting the country’s military infrastructure with high-precision weapons.
Source: Agencies
