(FILES) In this file photo taken on March 20, 2022 in this handout picture released by the Ukrainian Presidency Press Office, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivers a video address in Kyiv. 鈥� Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on March 20, 2022 renewed his plea for talks with his Russian counterpart, taking to US television to say negotiations were the only way to 鈥渆nd this war.鈥� AFP
KYIV 鈥� Ukraine鈥檚 leaders on Tuesday accused Russian forces of firing on unarmed protesters in the occupied southern city of Kherson, with videos appearing to show residents fleeing flash-bang grenades and sustained gunfire.
鈥淥ccupiers shot at people who went out peacefully, without weapons, to protest. For freedom 鈥� our freedom,鈥� President Volodymyr Zelensky said, leading the condemnation.
A series of videos posted on social media and the messaging app Telegram showed citizens gathering in Kherson鈥檚 鈥淔reedom Square鈥� protesting against Russia鈥檚 recent seizure of the city.
Dozens of men and women wrapped in Ukraine鈥檚 blue-and-yellow flag are heard chanting 鈥淕o home鈥� and 鈥淕lory to Ukraine鈥� before stun grenades force them to flee in panic.
Russian soldiers can be seen firing multiple volleys of gunfire into the air, with no immediate evidence their rifles were trained directly at civilians.
However video footage also showed a group of people treating a stunned and bleeding elderly man, before carrying him away.
Local official Yuriy Sobolevsky said the elderly man鈥檚 leg was 鈥渂adly injured鈥� and he 鈥渓ost a lot of blood.鈥�
But he added that medics were treating the wounded and 鈥渢heir lives are not in danger.鈥�
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba posted a video of the incident on Twitter.
鈥淚n Kherson, Russian war criminals opened fire at unarmed people who peacefully protested against invaders,鈥� Kuleba said.
鈥淭his is the ugly face of Russia, a disgrace to humankind. We must stop Russia! Sanction them, isolate them, hold war criminals to account,鈥� he said.
Kherson, a city of almost 300,000 people before the war, was the first major Ukrainian city to fall to Russian forces, with Moscow capturing it within the first week of its invasion.
People in Kherson have held regular demonstrations against Russian control of the city, a direct challenge to Russia鈥檚 claim to have liberated the city.
Local media have reported several times that Russian forces have fired at protesters.
Sobolevsky vowed the demonstrations would continue. 鈥淒espite everything, the protesters did not disperse! And tomorrow they are going to gather again!鈥� he said.
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