After heavy fighting, Russian troops have crossed the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine. They now have access to the strategically important city of Kherson, the regional authorities announced on Friday.
The enemy attacked with heavy forces and suffered heavy losses, it said. In the end, however, those defending the region lost control. The leadership of the region said it was making every effort to maintain order and save lives.
Kherson, with a population of almost 300,000 people, plays an important role in protecting the port city of Odessa in the south-west of the country.
