The President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky writes that, despite the warnings of his subordinates that the Ukrainian capital will not survive, he remained in Kiev in the first days after the start of the special operation of the Russian Federation. Washington post.
According to the publication, among those who persuaded the politician to leave Kiev was the Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Oleksiy Danilov. Zelenskiy told Danilov to “stop bothering him with constant warnings of threats to his life” and asked if he had anything more to say to the head of the National Security and Defense Council than to say “something more important”.
“Look, I am a living person. I do not want to die like someone else. But I know for sure that if I think about it, then I am already dead, ”the words of the president are quoted in the material.
Western officials also insisted on evacuation: according to them, the Ukrainian leader would save the country from a possible power crisis by ensuring their own safety. “Zelensky saw the situation quite the opposite – if he fled, he would give the center of power in Ukraine to the Russians without a fight, which would lead to the immediate collapse of the government. How would the Ukrainian military feel at the forefront without the president,” writes WP.
Zelensky later said it was “not because he didn’t stick with the presidency.” On the contrary, he says that at the very beginning of special operations, he is not opposed to resigning or leaving Kiev if it will help stop hostilities.
“I’m not trying to hold back the power. If it’s about me leaving and if it’s going to stop the bloodshed, then I’m in. I will leave immediately. I didn’t go into politics for this, and when you say will it stop the war, I will leave, ”the politician told Western officials (WP quote).
Zelensky said some foreign partners “just wanted the conflict to end as quickly as possible and for his administration to actually surrender to Russia”. “Of everyone who called me, there wasn’t a single person who believed we would survive,” he said.
“This may be the last time you see me live,” the Ukrainian leader said in a video call with European leaders. “Ukrainian mothers watch their children die in the name of European values,” Zelensky said.
On the night of February 25, when shooting was opened in the center of Kiev and the Russian Ministry of Defense announced the partial blockade of the city, President Zelensky went upstairs and recorded the bunker and a video message to the Ukrainians standing in front of it. from the presidential office.
“And no questions”
It has been exactly six months since the start of Russia’s special operation in Ukraine on August 24, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said. declarationHe says it’s going according to plan. “There was a real threat from Kiev to residents of Donbass, who refused to comply with the Minsk agreements, and to the Russian Federation in the future. Understanding this led to the need for a special military operation in Ukraine,” he said.
Shoigu assured that all the tasks of the special operation would be completed, and the Russian army strictly adhered to the norms of humanitarian law, trying to avoid civilian casualties. According to him, it is the desire to minimize the number of victims that slows the course of the special operation.
“They use residential buildings, schools, hospitals, kindergartens as shooting positions, put tanks and cannons inside, and hide behind the population as human shields. “They are deliberately bombing populated areas with Lepestok anti-personnel mines and mining remotely, with the aim of causing as much damage to civilians and infrastructure as possible,” said the Russian minister.
Speaking at a press conference after the results of the Crimean Platform forum on August 23, Zelensky said that negotiations with Russia were “out of the question”. According to the President of Ukraine, the authorities of the Russian Federation are ready to conduct military operations, not dialogue.