Several injured after the Russian army disperses a peaceful protest of civilians in Kherson

The Russian army forcibly dispersed a demonstration by civilians living in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on Monday, causing several injuries, the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform reported.

According to the vice president of Regional Council, Yuri SobolevskyheRussian forces fired into the air and used gas and stun grenades to disperse peaceful protesters calling for the withdrawal of troops from Moscow.

The most seriously injured was an elderly man who, after being hit in the leg, had to be evacuated in an ambulance, as he was bleeding profusely.Sobolevsky added in statements quoted by the agency.

In a video broadcast on social networks whose authenticity EFE has not been able to verify, you can see a wounded man being carried by several people who are trying to save him, while protesters are heard chanting slogans in the background.

The local politician added that Russian soldiers had also arrested at least one of the participants in the protest, which nonetheless continued, he said in a Facebook post.

According to some media that cite eyewitnesses, including the daily “Ukrainskaya Pravda”the Russian army opened fire on the demonstrators with live ammunition.

“In Kherson Russian war criminals opened fire on unarmed people who were peacefully protesting against the invaders,” the Ukrainian Foreign Minister denounced on Twitter, Dmytro Kuleba.

“This is the ugly face of Russia, a disgrace to humanity,” added, and demanded that the international community impose more sanctions and isolate Moscow.

Kherson was the first major Ukrainian city to be captured by Russian troops after the invasion of Ukraine began on February 24.

Since then hundreds of residents have taken to the streets to protest almost daily against the military occupation and, this Sunday, a protest in that city managed to temporarily block the passage of a military convoy.