Europe 1 with AFP 08:27, February 27, 2022

Russian forces continue their invasion of Ukraine, four days after Vladimir Putin's declaration.

While the capital Kiev is still resisting on Sunday morning, fighting is underway in the country's second city, Kharkiv.

The Russian army has also surrounded two major cities in the south of the country, Kherson and Berdyansk.

Europe 1 takes stock of the evolution of the situation.

THE ESSENTIAL

The authorities of Kharkiv (north-east), the second largest city in Ukraine, announced Sunday a "breakthrough" of the Russian army to its center, on the fourth day of the invasion of the country by Moscow.

"There was a breakthrough of the Russian enemy's light vehicles in the city of Kharkiv, including in the central part," the governor of the eponymous region, Oleg Sinegoubov, said on Facebook, indicating that the fighting continued and calling on the approximately 1.4 million inhabitants not to leave their homes.

"Ukrainian armed forces eliminate the enemy," he added.

The main information to remember:

- ongoing fighting in the streets of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city

- the Russian army claims to have surrounded two large cities in the south, Kherson and Berdyansk

- 975 Ukrainian military installations destroyed by the Russian army

About 400,000 Ukrainians surrounded by the Russian army

A video posted on Ukrainian social networks claims in particular to show a Russian armored vehicle on fire in the center of the city.

The Russian army, for its part, claimed to have surrounded two large cities in southern Ukraine, Kherson and Berdiansk, which have 290,000 and 110,000 inhabitants respectively.

"Over the past 24 hours, the Russian armed forces have completely blocked the cities of Kherson and Berdyansk," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

"The town of Genichesk and the Chernobayevka airfield near Kherson were also taken under control," the Russian ministry continued.

He also claimed territorial gains for pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, which are advancing with the support of the Russian military and have advanced, according to Moscow, 52 kilometers since the start of the offensive.

In total, the Russian army claims to have destroyed 975 Ukrainian military installations, including S-300 anti-aircraft defense systems.