The Russian military appointed a new "head" of the Kherson region in southern Ukraine on Tuesday after seizing the Kherson city council on Monday, said Gennady Laguta, the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration.In a video address published on Telegram, Laguta said that Russian forces also introduced a new "mayor" of Kherson city.The Ukrainian flag has been removed from the Kherson city council, Laguta said.Last week, Ukrainian Defense 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.The Russian military appointed a new "head" of the Kherson region in southern Ukraine on Tuesday after seizing the Kherson city council on Monday, said Gennady Laguta, the head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration.In a video address published on Telegram, Laguta said that Russian forces also introduced a new "mayor" of Kherson city.The Ukrainian flag has been removed from the Kherson city council, Laguta said.Last week, Ukrainian Defense 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.