Russian military spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov stated on Friday that the city of Chernigov was successfully blockaded by the Russian forces, noting that troops are doing everything to prevent casualties among civilians.
"At the moment, units of the Russian Armed Forces have completed blockaded the city of Chernigov", Konashenkov stated.
Chernigov is an ancient city that is located around 150 kilometres (93 miles) north of Kiev.
The city was blockaded amid a special military operation by Russian forces in Ukraine that started on Thursday.
Russian military troops take part in a military drill on Sernovodsky polygon close to the Chechnya border
© AFP 2023 / Sergey Venyavsky
Russian forces have used precision weapons to neutralise Ukrainian military infrastructure, targeting airfields and air defences, the MoD stated, noting that there was no threat to the civilian population.
President Vladimir Putin addressed the situation, saying that the op was started to protect the people of Donbass, who have been suffering from an eight-year-long war waged by Kiev. He noted that the goal of the operation is the denazification and demilitarisation of Ukraine.