<p>Russian troops fired warning shots at peaceful protesters Sunday as thousands demonstrated in the southern city of Kherson, which was seized by the Russian army earlier this month, a local broadcaster reported.</p>.<p>Waving national flags and chanting "Kherson is for Ukraine" and "Glory to Ukraine", several thousand protesters gathered in a show of defiance on the central Freedom Square, the Suspilne Kherson public broadcaster reported.</p>.<p>Protesters marched down a central boulevard past a line of Russian armoured vehicles marked with the "Z" symbol used by the invaders and manned by troops wielding guns and wearing face coverings, a witness video posted by Suspilne Kherson on Telegram showed.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/russia-ukraine-war-news-live-updates-kyiv-maruipol-kharkiv-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelenskyy-attack-shelling-nuclear-war-chernobyl-zaporizhzhia-1090810.html" target="_blank"><strong>Follow live updates of Russia-Ukraine crisis here</strong></a></p>.<p>At one point, troops fired several volleys, which Suspilne Kherson reported were "warning shots".</p>.<p>The video showed protesters shouting "Fascists" and "Go home!" in Russian.</p>.<p>Some wrapped themselves in Ukrainian flags, standing next to tank traps that still littered the square. On Sunday, the city marked 78 years since its liberation from the Nazis.</p>.<p>One protester held a hand-drawn placard saying "Kherson is Ukraine".</p>.<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video of the Kherson protest on Telegram, writing: "I am grateful to each person... who does not surrender. Who protests. Who demonstrates to the occupiers that Ukraine is our land."</p>.<p>Russian forces seized the port city, which has a population of 290,000 people, on March 3 following a three-day siege. It was the first major city to fall following Moscow's invasion.</p>.<p>Ukrainian officials on Saturday accused Russia of planning a fake referendum on creating a pro-Moscow "people's republic" in the city.</p>.<p>"Russians now desperately try to organize a sham 'referendum' for a fake 'people's republic' in Kherson," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted.</p>.<p>Due to "zero popular support", such a referendum "will be fully staged", he added.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos:</strong></p>
<p>Russian troops fired warning shots at peaceful protesters Sunday as thousands demonstrated in the southern city of Kherson, which was seized by the Russian army earlier this month, a local broadcaster reported.</p>.<p>Waving national flags and chanting "Kherson is for Ukraine" and "Glory to Ukraine", several thousand protesters gathered in a show of defiance on the central Freedom Square, the Suspilne Kherson public broadcaster reported.</p>.<p>Protesters marched down a central boulevard past a line of Russian armoured vehicles marked with the "Z" symbol used by the invaders and manned by troops wielding guns and wearing face coverings, a witness video posted by Suspilne Kherson on Telegram showed.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/world-news-politics/russia-ukraine-war-news-live-updates-kyiv-maruipol-kharkiv-vladimir-putin-volodymyr-zelenskyy-attack-shelling-nuclear-war-chernobyl-zaporizhzhia-1090810.html" target="_blank"><strong>Follow live updates of Russia-Ukraine crisis here</strong></a></p>.<p>At one point, troops fired several volleys, which Suspilne Kherson reported were "warning shots".</p>.<p>The video showed protesters shouting "Fascists" and "Go home!" in Russian.</p>.<p>Some wrapped themselves in Ukrainian flags, standing next to tank traps that still littered the square. On Sunday, the city marked 78 years since its liberation from the Nazis.</p>.<p>One protester held a hand-drawn placard saying "Kherson is Ukraine".</p>.<p>Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video of the Kherson protest on Telegram, writing: "I am grateful to each person... who does not surrender. Who protests. Who demonstrates to the occupiers that Ukraine is our land."</p>.<p>Russian forces seized the port city, which has a population of 290,000 people, on March 3 following a three-day siege. It was the first major city to fall following Moscow's invasion.</p>.<p>Ukrainian officials on Saturday accused Russia of planning a fake referendum on creating a pro-Moscow "people's republic" in the city.</p>.<p>"Russians now desperately try to organize a sham 'referendum' for a fake 'people's republic' in Kherson," Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba tweeted.</p>.<p>Due to "zero popular support", such a referendum "will be fully staged", he added.</p>.<p><strong>Check out DH's latest videos:</strong></p>