Kherson Falls To Russian Forces; ICC Launches War Crime Probe In Ukraine

On completion of the first week of Ukraine invasion, Russia seized the southern city of Kherson – the first major city to fall to Russian forces. Kherson mayor Ihor Kolykhaiev said the Ukrainian military is no longer present in the city, and residents must now carry out the instructions of “armed people who came to the city’s administration.” A second round of ceasefire talks between Ukraine and Russia is scheduled to be held at the Belarus-Poland border Thursday.

“On our way to negotiations with the Russian Federation. Already in helicopters,” presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said on Twitter.

The International Criminal Court said it has launched an investigation into possible war crimes by Russia in Ukraine after 39 nations called for the same.

More cities are shelled and Russia is piling suffering on civilians as the war entered eighth day.

The Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv and Mariupol “remain in Ukrainian hands,” despite heavy bombarding by Russian forces, the British Defense Ministry said Thursday.

Missile attacks are also being reported in the capital Kyiv, Kharkiv and Kherson.

Ukraine’s State Emergency Service said in a statement that 34 civilians were killed in the past day during Russian attacks.

The port city of Mariupol is in blackout and civilian areas are being targeted.

As the invasion enters a second week, President Volodymyr Zelensky claims Ukraine’s defense lines are holding up.

There has been no let-up in Russia’s shelling of cities since midnight, Zelensky said in the latest video he released.

“All lines of our defense are kept. The enemy has no success in any of the strategic directions,” Zelensky said in a new Facebook post.He p leaded for more international assistance.

Ukraine army claimed that 9,000 Russian personnel have been killed or wounded. According to Russia, only 498 soldiers had died and nearly 1,600 were wounded. More than one million people have already fled the country since the war broke out, according to the UN. More than half of them have fled to Poland.

Spain’s Defense Minister Margarita Robles said a shipment of offensive weapons, including anti-tank grenade launchers, light machine guns and 700,000 rounds of rifle and machine-gun ammunition, will be sent to Ukraine on Friday.

The United Kingdom imposed new sanctions Thursday to block Russian companies in the aviation and space industries from accessing the British insurance market.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian warned that the situation in Ukraine could further deteriorate under relentless bombardment from Russia.

Meanwhile, a U.S. official said the movement of a huge Russian convoy towards Kiev has slowed down.

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