At a rally against Russian occupation in Nova Kakhovka in southern Ukraine, several people are said to have been wounded by gunshots from Russian soldiers. President Selenskij had previously called for protests.

Russian forces opened fire on protesters in areas under their control. Ukraine’s Interfax news agency quoted eyewitnesses as saying that five people protesting the occupation of Russian troops in the southern Ukrainian town of Nova Kakhovka were wounded.

About 2,000 people took to the streets in Nova Nachcoka against the Russian offensive. They waved Ukrainian flags and called for the withdrawal of Russian troops. Similar protests took place in other cities: according to Interfax, several hundred people protested in the city of Kalachanka; Several thousand people took to the streets in Bardiansk and Melitopol against the Russian offensive.

Selenskyz calls for resistance

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had earlier called on his compatriots in a video speech to expel Russian troops from the country. “We have to go out! We have to fight! Whenever we get the chance,” Zelensky said. As in Cherson, Berdyansk or Melitopol, Ukrainians must go out “and drive this evil out of our cities”.

In the past few days, there have been reports from the Ukrainian cities mentioned by Zelensky that unarmed civilians have opposed Russian units. Since humans have done so, the profession is only temporary. It is also important to prevent the establishment of new people’s republics.

Zelensky also addressed citizens of the self-declared People’s Republic of Donetsk and Luhansk in the east of the country in Russia. “If they haven’t erased your memory with propaganda, your eyes are not closed with fear – fighting, for your rights, freedom, Ukraine,” he said.

“We are waiting for everything to end”

Last day, hundreds of people protested against Russian occupation in the southern Ukrainian city of Cherson, according to the AP news agency. They waved Ukrainian flags and shouted, “Go home!” The regional capital had already come under Russian control last week. According to the BBC, about 2,000 people attended the rally.

Commenting on the current situation in Kherson, Eurovision Social Newswire journalist Marina Krasilnikova said: “Today was the second day of a peaceful rally in the city centre. We went out with our Ukrainian flags to show that we are the Ukrainian people. The Russian army stood nearby with machine guns and snipers. There were also armored cars.”

According to Krasilnikova, food and medicine are now scarce. There is no safe corridor to bring them into the city. “We are determined, continue to believe in our army and are waiting for everything to end,” Krasilnikova said.