Conflict will end when Russia returns our right to live: Ukraine's Zelenskyy in new video address | 10 updates

Amid reports that Moscow has been urged to annex the Ukrainian city of Kherson, Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, warned that such "pseudo referendums" would jeopardise peace talks.   

Amid reports that Moscow has been urged to annex the Ukrainian city of Kherson, Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Wednesday night, alerted that such "pseudo referendums" would jeopardise peace talks. As per reports, "These marginal people, whom the Russian state has found to act as collaborators," were making statements of cosmic stupidity, the country's president stated. Adding, "But it doesn't matter what the occupiers do since they have no chance. I am optimistic that our country and people will be set free." When the conflict began in February, Kherson was one of the first regions besieged.

Updates
1) In its video messages, Ukraine's president, Zelenskyy, stated, "War will cease when Russia returns our right to live."

2) The Russian-occupied province of Kherson in Ukraine wants to ask President Vladimir Putin to incorporate it into the country by the end of the year, according to Russia's TASS news agency. The local military-civilian government was cited in the study. Since Moscow launched its offensive on February 24, this could be the first territory to be annexed.

3) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his last remark on the conflict, stated, "This conflict will not persist indefinitely. There will come a moment when peace talks will be held. But unfortunately, that does not appear to be the case shortly. There is one thing I can say. We will never give up."

4) As Russia's deputy foreign minister met with the US ambassador in Moscow, US defence secretary Lloyd Austin said that Putin did not want the fight to evolve into a "full-blown battle" with NATO.

5) Ukraine's plans to target Moscow over the first war crimes trials are said to revolve around a captured Russian soldier.

6) Iryna Venediktova, Prosecutor General, stated Sgt. As per media reports, Vadin Shyshimarin (21) was charged with killing an unarmed 62-year-old civilian while riding a bicycle four days into the battle in February. 

7) In the most recent escalation, Kyiv has blocked a route for Russian natural gas supplies to Europe. As a result, prices were said to have risen in Europe.

8) Zelenskyy spoke with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, where they discussed defensive aid, energy sector cooperation, and tightening sanctions against Russia. "We appreciate Germany's high level of dialogue and support in our struggle!" he tweeted.

9) The German spokesperson, in its statement, stated that the Ukrainian President and Chancellor also discussed views on the very concrete, practical ways of continuing to help Ukraine and agreed to stay in close contact.

10) According to media reports, Ukraine's National Guard, which is part of the interior ministry, claimed on Wednesday that nearly 561 of its troops had been killed and almost 1,700 injured since the invasion began.