Ukrainians protest as Russians move into city north of Kyiv

Ukrainians in a city north of Kyiv took to the streets to protest as Russians began to take over the area.

Videos and pictures captured by CNN showed a crowd of around several hundred people headed to the main square in the city of Slavutych on Saturday.

Mayor Yuri Fomichev called on residents to show up to the square with Ukrainian symbols and speak out against Russia’s invasion. 

Protesters brought a flag to the main square and chanted “Slavutych is Ukraine” and “Glory to Ukraine,” according to CNN.

Fomichev posted on Facebook Friday that “Our defenders defended bravely and selflessly! But we do not have equal strength! Unfortunately, we have our dead.”

After the city was taken over, Oleksandr Pavliuk, head of the Kyiv regional administration, said the mayor was kidnapped by the Russian forces. 

CNN reported amid that the demonstrations, gunfire could be heard and the square was hit by three stun grenades. 

The news comes a day after U.S. officials reported that Russian forces are no longer in full control of Kherson, the first Ukrainian city captured by Kremlin troops at the start of the war. 

“We’ve seen reports of resistance there in areas that were previously reported to be in Russian control,” a senior Defense official told reporters on Friday. “We can’t corroborate exactly who is in control of Kherson, but the point is it doesn’t appear to be as solidly in Russian control as it was before … we would argue that Kherson is actually contested territory again.” 

The Ukrainian military has fought hard to defend its country, fending off Russian forces from the capital city of Kyiv and keeping the Kremlin from making large military gains.