Ukrainians protest as Russians invade city north of Kyiv
Russian armies have penetrated the city of Slavutych, north of Kyiv — an action which has provoked protests among hundreds of Ukrainian civilians.
Early Saturday, Oleksandr Pavliuk, head of the Kyiv regional administration, announced “the Russian occupiers entered the city of Slavutych and seized the city hospital.”
The mayor of Slavutych, Yuri Fomichev, asked residents to come to the city square with Ukrainian symbols to “show their position.”
CNN reports that Images and video geolocated revealed a crowd — perhaps several hundred people — chanting “Slavutych is Ukraine” and “Glory to Ukraine” in the main square. A large Ukrainian flag was spread out.
Nexus News gathered from the video noise of at least three stun grenades, whose origin is not clear.
Later, as the crowd moves through the square, several bursts of heavy gunfire can be heard.
Also, Pavliuk said that “according to the latest information, the mayor Yuri Fomichiv was abducted by invaders.”
Late Friday, the mayor had published an announcement on Facebook saying that: “Our defenders defended bravely and selflessly! But we do not have equal strength! Unfortunately, we have our dead.”
The arrival of Russian forces in Slavutych comes several days of shelling against the city, which is strategically situated near the Dnieper River, about 95 miles (150 kilometers) north of Kyiv and close to the border with Belarus.
Local officials say the city has been isolated almost since the beginning of the Russian invasion.
Slavutych was built for workers at the Chernobyl nuclear plant after the 1986 disaster left the area uninhabitable
