KYV: President Volodymyr Zelensky urges West to stop playing with it Russia and imposed strict sanctions on Moscow to end its “foolish war” UkraineBy adding that his country would remain independent, the only question was at what cost.
The West’s criticism of Zelensky has increased in recent days as the European Union slowly moves towards a possible Russian oil embargo and thousands of Russian forces seek to encircle the two major eastern cities of Svyarodonetsk and Lisichansk.
Three months after its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has abandoned its assault on the capital Kyiv and is trying to consolidate control over the industrial east. donbass region, where it has supported a separatist insurgency since 2014.
Western military analysts see the battles for Svyarodonetsk and Lisichansk as a possible turning point in the war following a change in momentum toward Russia following the surrender of Ukraine’s outpost at Mariupol last week.
“Ukraine will always be a free state and will not be broken. The only question is what price will our people pay for their freedom, and what price will Russia pay for this senseless war against us,” Zelensky said in a Thursday. late night address to
“Events that appear catastrophic can still be prevented if the world treats the situation in Ukraine as if it is facing the same situation, if the powers that be do not play with Russia but actually end the war.” pressure is exerted.”
Zelensky complained about disagreements within the EU over more sanctions against Russia and asked why some countries were being allowed to block the plan.
The European Union is discussing a sixth round of punitive measures, including sanctions on Russian oil imports. Such a move would require consensus but Hungary currently opposes the idea that its economy would suffer too much.
“For how many more weeks will the EU try to agree on a sixth package?” Zelensky asked, noting that Russia was receiving a billion euros a day from the 27-nation bloc for energy supplies.
“The pressure on Russia is literally a matter of saving lives. Every day procrastination, weakness, various controversies or proposals to ‘pacify’ the aggressor at the cost of the victims only mean more Ukrainians being killed.”
Zelensky’s comments mark the second day in a row that he has intensified his criticism of the world’s approach to war.
On Wednesday, he suggested that Kyiv make concessions to bring about peace, saying the idea smacks of attempts to appease Nazi Germany in 1938.
advancing Russian troops
Ukraine’s military said Russian forces launched a three-pronged attack on Thursday to try to encircle Ukrainian forces in Svyarodonetsk and Lisichansk. If the two cities fall along the Siversky Donets River, almost all of the Donbass province of Luhansk would be under Russian control.
Luhansk Governorate Sarhi Gadai said that about 50 Russian troops had reached the highway and “managed to gain a foothold”, even setting up an outpost.
“The checkpoint was broken, they were thrown back … Russian forces no longer control the route, but they are shelling it,” he said. It was possible that Ukrainian troops would leave “one pact, maybe two. We need to win the war, not fight,” he said.
“It’s clear that our boys are slowly retreating to more fortified positions – we need to hold this mob back.”
Adviser to the Ministry of Interior of Ukraine Vadim Denisenko Told in a briefing that 25 Russian battalions were trying to encircle the Ukrainian army.
Reuters reporters in Russian-occupied territory saw evidence of Moscow’s progress further south in Svitlodarsk, where Ukrainian forces withdrew earlier this week.
The city is now under the control of pro-Russian fighters who have taken over the local government building and hung a Soviet hammer and sickle flag on the door.
Reuters drone footage of an abandoned battlefield nearby shows the crater as a lush green field surrounded by ruined buildings. Pro-Russian fighters were meeting in the trenches.
The Donbass advance has been largely supported by artillery bombardment. Ukraine’s military said 50 cities in Donetsk and Luhansk provinces were shelled on Thursday.
Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valery ZaluzniTelegram called for more Western weapons, specifically “weapons that would allow us to hit the enemy at great distances”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov The latter warned that any supply of weapons reaching Russian territory would be “a serious step towards unacceptable escalation”.
increased risk
Western countries led by the United States have provided Ukraine with long-range weapons, including M777 howitzers from Washington and Harpoon anti-ship missiles from Denmark.
Washington is even considering providing Kyiv a rocket system that could have a range of hundreds of kilometers, and Russia, the US and diplomatic officials told Reuters if it were to strike deep inside Russia. If so, the danger of its escalation is discussed with Kyiv.
“We have concerns about growth and yet we don’t want to impose geographic limits or get too involved with the stuff we’re giving them,” a US official said on condition of anonymity.
Russia called its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West maintain that the fascist allegations are baseless and that the war is unprovoked aggression.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow expected Ukraine to accept its demands in any future peace talks. It wants Kyiv to recognize Russian sovereignty and the independence of separatist-claimed territory on the Crimean peninsula seized in 2014.
The West’s criticism of Zelensky has increased in recent days as the European Union slowly moves towards a possible Russian oil embargo and thousands of Russian forces seek to encircle the two major eastern cities of Svyarodonetsk and Lisichansk.
Three months after its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has abandoned its assault on the capital Kyiv and is trying to consolidate control over the industrial east. donbass region, where it has supported a separatist insurgency since 2014.
Western military analysts see the battles for Svyarodonetsk and Lisichansk as a possible turning point in the war following a change in momentum toward Russia following the surrender of Ukraine’s outpost at Mariupol last week.
“Ukraine will always be a free state and will not be broken. The only question is what price will our people pay for their freedom, and what price will Russia pay for this senseless war against us,” Zelensky said in a Thursday. late night address to
“Events that appear catastrophic can still be prevented if the world treats the situation in Ukraine as if it is facing the same situation, if the powers that be do not play with Russia but actually end the war.” pressure is exerted.”
Zelensky complained about disagreements within the EU over more sanctions against Russia and asked why some countries were being allowed to block the plan.
The European Union is discussing a sixth round of punitive measures, including sanctions on Russian oil imports. Such a move would require consensus but Hungary currently opposes the idea that its economy would suffer too much.
“For how many more weeks will the EU try to agree on a sixth package?” Zelensky asked, noting that Russia was receiving a billion euros a day from the 27-nation bloc for energy supplies.
“The pressure on Russia is literally a matter of saving lives. Every day procrastination, weakness, various controversies or proposals to ‘pacify’ the aggressor at the cost of the victims only mean more Ukrainians being killed.”
Zelensky’s comments mark the second day in a row that he has intensified his criticism of the world’s approach to war.
On Wednesday, he suggested that Kyiv make concessions to bring about peace, saying the idea smacks of attempts to appease Nazi Germany in 1938.
advancing Russian troops
Ukraine’s military said Russian forces launched a three-pronged attack on Thursday to try to encircle Ukrainian forces in Svyarodonetsk and Lisichansk. If the two cities fall along the Siversky Donets River, almost all of the Donbass province of Luhansk would be under Russian control.
Luhansk Governorate Sarhi Gadai said that about 50 Russian troops had reached the highway and “managed to gain a foothold”, even setting up an outpost.
“The checkpoint was broken, they were thrown back … Russian forces no longer control the route, but they are shelling it,” he said. It was possible that Ukrainian troops would leave “one pact, maybe two. We need to win the war, not fight,” he said.
“It’s clear that our boys are slowly retreating to more fortified positions – we need to hold this mob back.”
Adviser to the Ministry of Interior of Ukraine Vadim Denisenko Told in a briefing that 25 Russian battalions were trying to encircle the Ukrainian army.
Reuters reporters in Russian-occupied territory saw evidence of Moscow’s progress further south in Svitlodarsk, where Ukrainian forces withdrew earlier this week.
The city is now under the control of pro-Russian fighters who have taken over the local government building and hung a Soviet hammer and sickle flag on the door.
Reuters drone footage of an abandoned battlefield nearby shows the crater as a lush green field surrounded by ruined buildings. Pro-Russian fighters were meeting in the trenches.
The Donbass advance has been largely supported by artillery bombardment. Ukraine’s military said 50 cities in Donetsk and Luhansk provinces were shelled on Thursday.
Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Valery ZaluzniTelegram called for more Western weapons, specifically “weapons that would allow us to hit the enemy at great distances”.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov The latter warned that any supply of weapons reaching Russian territory would be “a serious step towards unacceptable escalation”.
increased risk
Western countries led by the United States have provided Ukraine with long-range weapons, including M777 howitzers from Washington and Harpoon anti-ship missiles from Denmark.
Washington is even considering providing Kyiv a rocket system that could have a range of hundreds of kilometers, and Russia, the US and diplomatic officials told Reuters if it were to strike deep inside Russia. If so, the danger of its escalation is discussed with Kyiv.
“We have concerns about growth and yet we don’t want to impose geographic limits or get too involved with the stuff we’re giving them,” a US official said on condition of anonymity.
Russia called its actions in Ukraine a “special operation” to disarm Ukraine and protect it from fascists. Ukraine and the West maintain that the fascist allegations are baseless and that the war is unprovoked aggression.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow expected Ukraine to accept its demands in any future peace talks. It wants Kyiv to recognize Russian sovereignty and the independence of separatist-claimed territory on the Crimean peninsula seized in 2014.