Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Konashenkov said on the 2nd that the Russian army has fully controlled Kherson, the capital of Kherson Oblast in southern Ukraine.
Konashenkov said that the Russian armed forces have fully controlled the city of Kherson. The public infrastructure, livelihood security facilities and urban transportation are operating normally, and there is no shortage of food and necessities. Russia is currently negotiating with the local government to ensure the operation of urban facilities, social order and public safety.
He also said that since Russia launched a special military operation, the Russian army has destroyed 1,502 Ukrainian military infrastructure. To prevent information attacks against itself, the Russian side carried out high-precision strikes on the relevant technical facilities of the Ukrainian Security Service and the 72nd Informationized Psychological Operations Center in Kyiv, and the broadcasting equipment of the TV tower in the city has also been paralyzed.
According to the Ukrainian local police station confirmed on the 2nd, the Ukrainian army and the Russian army fought near a military hospital in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city.
The Ukrainian State News Agency quoted Kharkiv Regional Police Chief Vladimir Temoshko as saying that the situation near the hospital has been brought under control, and there were no casualties on the Ukrainian side.
The city of Kherson has thus become the first major city in Ukraine to be captured by Russian forces since the Russian "invasion" of Ukraine last Thursday (February 24).
According to US media analysis, Kherson, with a population of 300,000, is of great strategic significance to the Russian military, because it will allow Russia to control more of the southern coastline of Ukraine and advance westward to the city of Odessa.
The New York Times said Kherson Mayor Igor Kolykhaiev and a senior Ukrainian government official confirmed the incident, saying "Kherson has fallen." Russian forces surrounded the city, and after several days of heavy fighting, Ukrainian forces have retreated to nearby areas, Korehayev said. "There are no Ukrainian troops here," Kolykayev said in an interview. "The city is besieged."
