Kherson falls to Russian forces, first major Ukrainian city conquered — NYT

After an embattled few days, the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson has fallen to invading Russian troops, The New York Times reports.

Kherson mayor Igor Kolykhaev met today with the local Russian commander who plans to set up a military administration in the area, according to the newspaper.

Russian forces had claimed earlier on Wednesday that the southern city of Kherson had fallen into Russian hands. The Ukrainian government insisted at the time that the local municipality was still functioning.

If confirmed, Kherson would be the first major Ukrainian city to fall into Moscow’s hands since the invasion begin seven days ago. The city lies in a strategically crucial area that connects the Crimean Peninsula, illegally annexed by Russia in 2014, with mainland Ukraine.