Two Russian helicopters shot down in Kherson Oblast: Ukraine armed forces

Ukraine armed forces said that two Russian helicopters were shot down in Kherson Oblast, according to a local media outlet.

The Kyiv Independent reported that one of the pilots reportedly survived and will be taken to the hospital.

Earlier Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Russians are trying to organize a sham separatist "referendum" in Kherson, mimicking what they did in eastern Ukraine and Crimea in 2014.

"Following 2014 playbook, Russians now desperately try to organize a sham 'referendum' for a fake 'people's republic' in Kherson. Given zero popular support, it will be fully staged. Severe sanctions against Russia must follow if they proceed. Kherson is and will always be Ukraine," Kuleba tweeted.

On Sunday, Ukraine said that the Russian fired at the convoy that was evacuating women and children in the Kyiv region, killing seven people including one child.

"Russians shot at a column of women and children in Kyiv region, who were trying to evacuate along a previously agreed "green" corridor. The result of this brutal act - seven dead. One of them is a child," the Ukrainian Defence Ministry said in a tweet.

The Kyiv Independent reported that the attack took place on March 11 as a column of women and children were leaving the village Paremoha in Kyiv Oblast, using the approved corridor.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russian forces of targeting a humanitarian corridor.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President's aide Mykhailo Podolyak said that the negotiations with the Russian delegation are underway in the continuous video format.Among the top priorities of the talks is expanding and setting up a humanitarian corridor, especially for the city of Mariupol, according to the state-run media.

However, the delegations met in person three times, with no conclusive results. The last meeting on the Russia Ukraine war took place on March 7.

( With inputs from ANI )

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