Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke from his office in Kiev on Monday evening, the first time he had been seen there since the ...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke from his office in Kiev on Monday evening, the first time he had been seen there since the Russian invasion began on February 24.
In short video posted on his Facebook page, Mr Zelensky said he was not hiding and was not afraid of anyone.
“We used to say: Monday is a tough day,” he said. “There is a war in the country, so every day is Monday, and now we are used to the fact that every day and every night is like that.”
In the video, Mr Zelensky provided updates on the Russian attacks and also said he signed a decree on Monday to hand out state awards to 96 “Ukrainian heroes”.
Mr Zelensky also blamed Russian troops for attacking certain sites on Monday, accusing them in particular of having fired on a bread factory in Makariv, about an hour west of Kiev.
“Think about it – shoot the bread factory. Who should you be to do that?” said Mr. Zelensky.
The president also condemned Russian troops for ignoring an agreement on a humanitarian corridor, after bombings prevented the evacuation of besieged towns.
” It worked ? Mr. Zelensky spoke from the hallway. “Russian tanks worked instead.”
In one update On Monday evening, the British Ministry of Defense said Russian troops continued to target evacuation corridors directly, resulting in several casualties among civilians who tried to flee Irpin, just outside Kiev. He said the town had been without heat, water or electricity for several days due to fighting in the area.
Mr. Zelensky’s nightly video speeches, rallying the Ukrainian resistance and world opinion, have become something of a ritual since the invasion of Russia on February 24. Russian offensives against several major cities have been bogged down by logistical problems and surprisingly fierce defenses.
In his Monday evening message, Mr Zelensky said a national upheaval had unfolded in the south of the country, creating “a nightmare” for Russia.
“We are not afraid of tanks and machine guns,” he said.
Zelensky said every day of resistance puts Ukraine in a “position of strength” to secure the country’s future, adding that Ukraine will rebuild everything that has been pounded and bombed by Russian forces.
“There will be no trace of the enemy,” he said. “We will make our cities destroyed by the invader better than any city in Russia.”
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