After taking the city of Kherson, the Russian army moves on to Odessa

A week after the invasion of Ukraine began, the Russian army has captured the city of Kherson, a key strategic point. Kherson, Moscow's first major victory since the offensive began, is located on the banks of the Dnieper River near its mouth on the Black Sea. Russian troops are thus stepping up their efforts to control the south of the country and the Black Sea littoral.

Following this conquest, the Russian army is now moving towards Odessa, Ukraine's most important port city and the country's third largest. US intelligence has claimed that warships are being moved from Moscow-annexed Crimea to Odessa. The Ukrainian army has also claimed that a Russian fleet of four amphibious assault ships is heading towards the city. 

To the east, the cities causing concern are Melitopol and Mariupol, both on the Sea of Azov. The Russian authorities claim to have taken Melitopol after "encountering no resistance". However, citizens have taken to the streets to protest against the Russian occupation with national flags and singing the national anthem.

Meanwhile, the offensive against Mariupol continues. According to Reuters, Donetsk separatist commander Eduard Basurin told the Interfax news agency that Russian forces could intensify shelling of the city if the Ukrainian army does not lay down its arms.

The city, isolated by Russian troops, is in a critical state. Ukrainian journalist The Kyiv Independent reports that the town is suffering from power and communications cuts. "The Russians are shelling relentlessly," he wrote on Twitter.

The mayor of Mariupol, Vadim Boichenko, meanwhile, announced that the town's population would spend Wednesday night without water, heating and electricity because of the damage caused by the constant Russian shelling to electrical installations, residential areas and other critical points in the town, according to Europa Press.

Boichenko also reported casualties among the local population. "The number of wounded civilians is growing every day. There are 128 people in hospitals. Our doctors don't even go home anymore, they are our heroes too," he told the Ukrainian news agency UNIAN. 

Although Moscow is now focusing its invasion on the south, other cities in the country, such as Kharkov and Kiev, are still under constant shelling. In an attempt to halt the Russian advance towards the capital, the Ukrainian army has shelled the Irpin bridge, one of the main entrances to Kiev.

Meanwhile, the centre of the capital was shelled in the early hours of the morning. The Goloséevo neighbourhood in the south of the city and Pecherska in the centre were among the places where explosions were felt most, as well as the Druzhba Narodov metro station, according to UNIAM. Missiles also fell near the Kiev railway station. 

Attacks are intensifying in Kharkov, although Ukrainian forces continue to resist.  The country's second largest Russian-speaking city has suffered heavy shelling of government buildings, as well as a military hospital and the city's university, founded in 1805. The European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, stressed that these attacks on civilian infrastructure "violate the laws of war", reports EFE.