Russian military appoints new 'head' of Kherson region in Ukraine

The Russian military has appointed a new "head" of the Kherson region in southern Ukraine after seizing the city council on Monday, said Gennady Laguta, the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration.

In a video address published on Telegram on Tuesday, Laguta said that Russian forces also introduced a new "mayor" of Kherson city, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Ukrainian flag has been removed from the Kherson city council, Laguta added.

Last week, Ukrainian Defence Ministry's spokesman Olexandr Motuzyanyk said Russia is preparing to hold a "referendum" in the Kherson region on joining Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Kiev would withdraw from peace negotiations with Moscow if Russian forces hold "pseudo-referendums" in the areas they captured in Ukraine.