Kherson to be 'fully' annexed by Russia soon - Kremlin
Over to Ukraine's southern port city of Kherson - the first to fall in the war - where a Kremlin official has said the plan is to annexe the region to Russia as soon as possible.
"Kherson Region's inclusion into the Russian Federation will be fully-fledged, similar to Crimea's accession," Sergei Kiriyenko, first deputy head of Moscow's administration, was quoted as saying in a report circulated by Russian MP Igor Kastyukevich.
This map of southern Ukraine shows how close Kherson sits to Russian-controlled Crimea
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Kherson sits very close to Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014Image caption: Kherson sits very close to Crimea, which Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014
Kiriyenko also said the handout of Russian passports would begin very soon in the city, and would be offered to "every resident of Kherson who desires" Russian citizenship.
There has been talk of a referendum in Kherson since it fell to Russian forces in early March, but UK defence officials warned last month it would "almost certainly" be rigged so Moscow could legitimise its control.
In its most recent intelligence update, Britain's Ministry of Defence said Ukrainian forces continued to defend their city and "recently achieved some success by counter-attacking ... including regaining a foothold on the eastern bank of the Ingulets River".