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.

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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.