Russia’s troops have taken “complete control” of Ukraine’s port city of Kherson, a spokesperson for Moscow’s defence ministry has claimed.
Major General Igor Konashenko said the city is still running as normal and that there are no food or essential goods shortages.
He claimed on Wednesday that talks are underway between Russian personnel and city administrators on maintaining order in the city.
Kherson mayor, Igor Kolykhayev, has since urged Putin’s soldiers not to shoot at civilians and publicly called on civilians to walk through the streets only in daylight and in ones and twos.
It comes after a senior US defence official said on Wednesday that Kherson “is very much a contested city at this point.”
Meanwhile, Britain and dozens of allies are pressing for an investigation to be launched rapidly into Vladimir Putin’s bombardment of Ukrainian cities after Boris Johnson accused the Russian president of war crimes.
The prime minister said Mr Putin “cannot commit these horrific acts with impunity” after 37 countries joined the UK on Wednesday in referring Moscow to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
