Russian troops have reportedly entered Ukraine’s second-largest city — Kharkiv in the northeast of the country.
According to the BBC, the move has been confirmed by the local governor.
Videos circulating on social media appear to show a number of Russian light military vehicles on the streets of the city, with some footage showing vehicles on fire.
One RU vehicle out! Good job, Kharkiv! pic.twitter.com/crivP0pmEh
— olexander scherba🇺🇦 (@olex_scherba) February 27, 2022
There are also reports of explosions.
Hours earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office said Russian forces blew up a gas pipeline in Kharkiv, prompting the government to warn people to protect themselves from the smoke by covering their windows with damp cloth or gauze.
The footage shows a gas pipeline on fire in Kharkiv after a Russian attack.
Video: State Special Communications Service of Ukraine pic.twitter.com/owuSoKqoFA
— The Kyiv Independent (@KyivIndependent) February 27, 2022
Kharkiv governor: Russian light military vehicles entered city, have met resistance
Oleg Synegubov, head of the Kharkiv regional state administration, says light military vehicles “broke” into Ukraine’s second-largest city.
Synegubov says Russian troops have reached the central part of the city and he urges residents to shelter in place.
Russia claims to have ‘entirely’ besieged 2 big cities in Ukraine’s south, southeast
Moscow claims its troops have “entirely” besieged the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson and the city of Berdyansk in the southeast, as the Russian army presses ahead with the invasion of the pro-Western country.
“Over the past 24 hours, the cities of Kherson and Berdyansk have been completely blocked by the Russian armed forces,” defense ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov says in a statement carried by Russian news agencies.
Source: TOI