Russia-Ukraine war: Russian troops seize key Ukrainian port to cut Kyiv off from sea

Amid heavy shelling in Ukraine, Russia has announced that it has seized a major Ukrainian port -- Black Sea port -- in a bid to cut off the nation from the sea. Though Russian troops had announced the capture of Kherson on Wednesday, the local administration had denied their claims. Meanwhile, on Thursday, the local Ukrainian officials confirmed the takeover of the government headquarters in Kherson, making it the first major city to fall since the start of the Russian invasion. As per a report by the news agency Associated Press, heavy fighting has been going on at the outskirts of another strategic port, Mariupol, on the Azov Sea.

There are reports that the area plunged into darkness, affecting phone service and creating food and water shortages. Since the heavy shelling left the area without a proper mobile communication channel, medics -- who have been assigned to treat the wounded people of the area -- have reported facing adversities while establishing a telephonic connection.

As per the news agency, the cutting of Ukraine’s access to the Black and Azov seas will further deteriorate the Ukrainian economy. However, Russia would be greatly benefitted as it allows Moscow to build a land corridor to Crimea.

Ukraine says "dissatisfied" with the outcome of the second round of talks with Russia

Speaking to AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the military matter, a senior US defence official said that Russia was not expecting that the war would stretch more than 3-4 days and added the outnumbered and outgunned Ukrainians have put up stiff resistance to the Russian forces. He said Russia’s seizure of Crimea gave it a logistical advantage in that part of the country, with shorter supply lines that smoothed the offensive there. It is to mention that Ukraine has been witnessing a full-scale invasion of Russian forces since February 24, after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched what he called a military operation against its neighbouring country. Since then, the country has been witnessing some of the horrific days after the second world war. On Thursday, the delegations of both countries met for peace talks on the Ukraine-Belarus border with high expectations of ending the war at the earliest.

According to a report by The Kyiv Independent, Ukrainian presidential advisor Mykhailo Podolyak said Kyiv was dissatisfied with the outcome of the second round of talks with Russia. He said that the delegations will meet for the third round “probably in the nearest time".  Vladimir Medinsky, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s adviser who led the Russian delegation in the talks said that Russia and Ukraine reached a tentative agreement to create safe corridors for civilians to exit besieged cities and observe local cease-fires in areas where they will be created. Further, he maintained that the parties’ “positions are absolutely clear, they are written down point by point,” including issues related to a political settlement of the conflict. 

Image: AP/ANI