Key Ukrainian cities Kharkiv, Kherson hit by major Russian assaults, killing dozens

Russian forces landed in Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv and triggered immediate clashes, as the army claimed on Wednesday it had taken control of the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, amid Moscow's invasion of Kyiv.

At least 21 people were killed and 112 wounded in shelling in Kharkiv in the last 24 hours - regional governor Oleg Synegubov said on Wednesday - as Ukraine's border guard service stated 3 guards were killed in the Kherson region.

"The Russian divisions of the armed forces have taken the regional centre of Kherson under full control," defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said in televised remarks.

He claimed that public services and transport were operating as usual.

"The city is not experiencing shortages of food and essential goods," he added.

He said talks were under way between the Russian army and local authorities on maintaining order, protecting the population and keeping public services functioning.

Kherson's mayor Igor Kolykhaiev said in a post on Facebook: "We are still Ukraine. Still firm."

Apparently contradicting the Russian army's claims, he said he needed to find a way to "collect the (bodies of the) dead" and "restore electricity, gas, water and heating where they are damaged."

Meanwhile in Kharkiv, the Ukrainian army said Russian airborne troops landed in the city "and attacked a local hospital".

 "There is an ongoing fight between the invaders and the Ukrainians," the Ukrainian army said in a statement on messaging app Telegram.

All in all, the Russian military damaged more than 1,500 military facilities in Ukraine, Konashenkov said on Wednesday, adding that 58 planes, 46 drones and 472 tanks and other armoured vehicles had been destroyed.

(Reuters, AFP)