Kherson locals are fleeing the city amid Russians consistent bombing over the holidays

Hundreds of people are desperately fleeing the Ukrainian city of Kherson, after constant Russian bombing during the holidays made their lives unbearable, the BBC writes. The attacks by the invaders come several weeks after the Ukrainian army managed to liberate the city

Kherson had been liberated from Russian occupation on November 11, and Ukrainians celebrated then in the streets. Near where crowds of people had gathered with Ukrainian flags to celebrate liberation from Putin’s invading forces, mortar fire fell on Christmas Eve.

11 people died after the attack by the invaders and dozens more were seriously injured. Among the dead were a social worker, a butcher and a woman selling SIM cards – ordinary people working in the city or visiting the area, not expecting to die tragically in a senseless attack by the Russians.

On December 24, the city was bombed 41 times, according to Ukrainian authorities. The Russians are bombing from the east bank of the Dnieper River, where they retreated after being driven from Kherson.

Russian forces fired 33 rockets at civilian targets in the Ukrainian city of Kherson in the past 24 hours, the Ukrainian military said Wednesday morning, as fighting intensified and Russia deployed more tanks and armored vehicles to the lines of front, reports Reuters.

The maternity ward of a hospital in the city of Kherson, in southern Ukraine, was hit by a Russian bombardment on Tuesday evening, the office of the president of Ukraine announced.

Kherson is a strategically important region, the BBC writes, being often referred to as a “gateway” to Crimea, already annexed by Russia in 2014. Analysts say that Russia has been forced to adopt a defensive position in this area.

Air raid sirens are ringing in Kyiv as well, according to a message on the official Telegram channel of the city administration, The Guardian reports.

The Russians are strengthening their positions also near the city of Kremina, the British Ministry of Defense informs in the assessment of Wednesday morning. Pressure exerted by Ukrainian forces on the region is increasing. The Russians are doing everything they can to hold the area and therefore have built additional defense lines. The region around Kremina is important for logistical access to Donbas, according to the British secret military services. Kremina is about 50 kilometers north of Bahmut, where heavy fighting has been going on for months.

Latest Defence Intelligence update on the situation in Ukraine – 28 December 2022

Find out more about the UK government's response: https://t.co/KOvHhO8Y9i

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UN: Nearly 7,000 Civilians Dead in Ukraine Due to Russian Invasion 

At least 6,884 Ukrainian civilians have been killed since the Russian invasion began in February, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights says, according to CNN. The data, which was collected as of December 26, shows that 429 children have died because of Putin’s war. Around 11,000 people were injured.

The UN reports, however, that the real data is most likely much higher, considering the difficulty with which this information is gathered from the invaded Ukraine.